Chef Kia Kanuta's Mussels
Wine match suggestion: Sauvignon Blanc
Simple mussels
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg mussels - cleaned and debearded
- Garlic
- Butter
- Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
METHOD
We cooked ours on an open fire on the beach, but this is a recipe that can bring those beachside flavours to wherever you are.
Garlic and butter should be measured with your heart. Warm the butter in a pan and add the minced garlic to sauté. When the garlic is soft and the butter fragrant and bubbling, add the mussels and a generous splash of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc (add a generous splash to your glass also.
If you have a lid to your pan, now’s the time to put it on, but if you don’t just keep an eye on the mussels and give the pan an occasional shake.
Once the shells have opened, tip them into a bow and drizzle with salsa verde and serve with fresh, warm bread to mop up all the delicious juice. We wrapped ours in fig leaves and put them in the coals to warm through.
Kawakawa salsa verde
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups of fresh herbs – Kawakawa, parsley, basil, rocket (arugula)
- 1 Onion – 1
- 1-2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Lemon – juice and zest
- White wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
METHOD
Kawakawa is a native New Zealand plant that grows abundantly in the Marlborough Sounds. It has a distinctive fresh, peppery flavour and is frequently used in kai Maori (Maori cuisine). A good substitute in this dressing would be basil and rocket (arugula).
Finely chop the kawakawa with parsley, onion, garlic and flakey sea salt, then mix with plenty of lemon juice and zest, a splash of white wine vinegar and good extra-virgin olive oil. Adjust to taste.
