Ingredients and Methods
MUSSEL PICKLE
150g sugar
300ml water
450ml cider vinegar
5 peppercorns
5 allspice
2 bay leaves
Combine all and bring to the simmer until sugar is dissolved, cool until ready to use.
MUSSEL MAYONAISE
3 egg yolks
2tbs Dijon
500ml blend oil
1 tbs Lemon juice
Mussel juice
1 Tsp salt
- Whisk the egg yolks, mustard & lemon juice together.
- Slowly add the oil until the mixture starts to emulsify.
- When the emulsion is too thick to take any more oil add a tablespoon of mussel juice. Continue to add the oil.
- Once all of the oil is incorporated add the salt.
- Taste the mayonnaise for salt, lemon and a mild mussel flavour.
PREPARE THE MUSSELS
1 kg Mussels (Beard removed, broken mussels discarded)
100ml white wine
½ a small fennel, finely diced
2 Shallots, sliced
2 Tbsp dill. (Washed and chopped)
Salt
Black pepper
- Heat a heavy based pan.
- Add the mussels and the white wine and cover the pot.
- Check the mussels after 30 seconds.
- Take the mussels out of the pan as they open.
- Remove the mussels from the shell and check for any beards.
- Once all of the mussels are out of their shells cut them in half and mix thoroughly with the fennel, shallots and dill.
- Season with a little salt and some black pepper and submerge in the chilled pickling liquor.
POTATO CRISPS
500g medium sized royal blue potatoes
Cottonseed oil for frying (or any neutral oil with a high burn temperature)
- With a sharp mandolin, slice the potatoes along the broad side, just less than 1mm thick.
- Run the slices of potato under cold water to remove excess starch.
- Once the water is running clear they are ready to fry.
- Drain the potato slices and dry on an absorbent towel.
- Heat the oil in a heavy based pot until it reaches 150C.
- Fry the slices of potato in small batches, they should take about 2 minutes to become golden.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the crisps out of the oil and on to absorbent paper.
- Season generously with salt and allow to cool.
- Repeat this with the remaining batches of potato, being careful to maintain a consistent temperature with the oil.
To assemble
Drain off any excess pickling liquor from the mussels and add some more freshly ground black pepper. Serve the pickled mussels with a large pile of potato crisps and a bowl of the mayonnaise. Encourage guests to dip the crisp in some mayonnaise and top with a pickled mussel.
Chef Josh Murphy
