This is the recipe that won @metalman_gra first prize at a competition run by Nude Food as part of the Waterford Festival of Food in 2011. It’s tangy and tasty, and the type of beer you use is a key input to the final flavour of the dish, so experiment away!
Ingredients – serves 2 (slightly greedy) people
1 kg local mussels
Generous splash of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
4 rashers of good quality local smoked bacon, chopped
500ml local pale ale – such as the delicious Metalman Brewing Pale Ale!
Parsley and lemon for garnish
Method
1. Clean the mussels well, and discard any that are open.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid over a medium heat.
3. Sauté the onion, garlic and bacon for 2-3 mins.
4. Add the mussels and stir through, then pour in the beer and turn up the heat to bring to the boil.
5. Boil for 1-2 mins, then put on the lid and lower the heat.
6. Continue to cook until the mussels have opened, shaking the pan 2 or 3 times during this period.
7. Remove any mussels that stay closed, and spoon into serving bowls with the cooking liquid.
8. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with a wedge of lemon and some local soda bread, and enjoy.
Disclaimer : Be careful when cooking seafood, source the freshest ingredients you can, and don’t drink too much beer while it’s cooking. We can’t accept any responsibility for illness due to under-cooked food or over-cooked hangovers!