Mussels with tarragon sauce
MUSSELS make a fabulous, cheap, low-calorie — yet high-protein — meal. If you haven’t cooked them before, don’t be put off, as they are incredibly easy and the quality of farmed mussels in the UK is superb. Serve with a 50g slice of brown sourdough or wholegrain bread (119 calories).
Serves 2 Per serving: Cals 381 Protein 27g Fat 24g l l l Fibre 2.5g Carbs 4g l
1kg fresh, live mussels 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium leek, trimmed and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 100ml dry white wine 75g full-fat crème fraîche 3-4 fresh tarragon stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, or 1 tsp dried tarragon
TIP the mussels into the sink, scrub under cold running water and remove the ‘beards’. Discard any mussels with damaged shells or those that don’t close immediately when tapped on the side of the sink. Put the good ones into a colander. Heat the oil in a wide-based, lidded saucepan or shallow flameproof casserole, over a low heat. Add the leek and garlic and gently fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened but not browned, stirring. Add white wine, crème fraîche and tarragon and season generously. Increase the heat under the pan and bring the wine to a simmer. Stir in the mussels, cover tightly with a lid and cook for about 4 minutes, or until most of the mussels have steamed open. Stir well, then cover and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the rest are cooked. Divide the mussels between two bowls, removing any that haven’t opened, and pour the tarragon broth over the top.
COOK’S TIP
IF YOU can’t get hold of tarragon, use freshly chopped parsley or dill instead.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
SERVE with celeriac chips.