Mussels with saffron and spinach (mejillones con azafrán y espinacas)
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4-6 as part of a mixed tapas
Skip to ingredients
- 150g spinach
- olive oil
- 4 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 celery stickfinely chopped (optional)
- a few sprigs thyme
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1kg musselscleaned
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 pinches saffron strands
- 250g crème fraîche
- to serve crusty bread
Method
step 1
Wash the spinach, drain and then wilt it in a pan with a little olive oil. Set aside.
step 2
Pour the wine into a large heavy-based pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onions, bay leaves, celery, thyme and peppercorns and bring to a simmer.
step 3
Now tip in the mussels and cover the pan, keeping it over a medium heat. Shake the pan now and then. Check to see that the mussels have opened after about 5 minutes and, when they are all open, tip the lot into a colander set over a bowl to catch the stock. Discard any mussels that have refused to open. Remove the flesh from some of the mussels and discard these shells.
step 4
Wipe the pan and return it to the heat. Melt the butter and add the saffron, crème fraîche, the mussel liquor, and season. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes, then return the spinach and the mussels. Cook for a minute to warm the mussels through, and serve immediately in warmed bowls with crusty bread.
Trust olive
Jeannie Chesterton trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London. For over 30 years she has lived in Andalucia with her husband, Sam. They are co-authors of the Buenvino Cookbook: Recipes from our Farmhouse in Spain (£20, Bene Factum).
