A Girl's Night In!

Hubby was out with the boys on Saturday night which meant two things for me;

1. I could eat something he wouldn't normally like for dinner and
2. The couch and remote control were mine for the night ;0)

Not sure I picked the most couch friendly meal but I enjoyed it greatly just the same!  I halved the mussel recipe owing to it just being me, but the recipe below is for two ... perfect for valentines day (provided your other half enjoys shell fish too!)

Mussels with Red Onion, Cider and Creme Fraiche
1kg rope grown mussels
25g unsalted butter
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
150ml dry cider
2 tsp finely chopped dill
150ml half fat crème fraiche

 

Prepare the mussels. Scrum them to remove any barnacles and pull away the beard, the discard any that are damaged or won’t close when tapped.

 

Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onions for 3-4 mins, then add the garlic. Pour the cider over and sprinkle in the dill, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.

 

Add the mussels, cover and cook over a medium heat (shaking the pan occasionally) for 3-4 mins until they have opened. Lift the mussels into a bowl and keep warm.

 

Bubble the cooking liquid in the pan for 2 mins, then carefully blend in the crème fraiche. Heat through and pour over the mussels to serve.

 

Serves 2
Good Food, Feb 11

No meal of mussels is complete without some yummy bread to mop up all the sauce.  I'd had a pretty full on baking day and didn't have the energy left (or the desire!) to bake a yeasted bread so opted for a cheddar and dill flavoured soda bread, owing to the success of the Spotted Soda Bread that I'd made earlier in the day.

 

Cheddar and Sage Bread
Put 200g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and a large pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix in 100g grated cheddar and a handful of chopped dill. Add 200ml natural yogurt and mix to a soft dough then knead briefly until smooth. Form into a round loaf and make a cross in the top with a sharp knife. Bake at 200C/fan 180C for 20-25 mins until the base sounds hollow when tapped. Best eaten the same day.

 

Serves 8
Olive, June 09