Norfolk Mussels and Salads

Wednesday, September 26

An event we'd long anticipated: Helen, Laurie and Elizabeth's friend, was coming in to stay at the house. We didn't know if she'd feel like company, so Holt cleverly chose to buy three pounds of mussels, a dinner that could be divided into any number of portions, from our friend the Angel fishmonger.

Luckily, Helen did feel like joining in the feast, so she sliced tomatoes (to be served with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar) while Barbara washed a bed of rocket, scattered it with chunks of avocado, and dressed it with lemon juice and oil. Holt had the hardest job: he debearded the mussels and washed off their scum and dirt. Only one was heavy, probably full of sand, so he discarded it. Then he sautéed five cloves of chopped garlic in butter and olive oil in a deep pot, threw in the mussels plus a healthy glug of wine, and clapped the lid on so that the whole thing steamed merrily. When the mussel shells opened wide and released their juices, he stirred in some chopped parsley, and it was done.

Everybody got a big bowl of mussels, with the garlic spooned on top and the broth poured through a sieve over it, accompanied by brown bread, butter, white wine, and a communal bowl for tossing shells in the center. After the mussels came the salads, which cleansed the palate nicely. Quick to gather and prepare, adaptable in size, and (this is the part we like) very tasty.