'Musselling' in the new year

It's delicious crowd-sharing food — a pot of fresh mussels, plenty of good white wine, and French bread to mop up the juices. If you are lucky enough to be at the coast, you can pick the mussels off the rocks — with a licence, of course — or find fresh or frozen mussels in the local fishmonger or supermarket. 

The joy of this dish lies in its simplicity. The mussels cook in minutes, so don't overcook them. This is true South African gesellig food that will bring everyone together, won't break the bank, and can be cooked over the coals in a pot.

And with this comes a wine suggestion: a Chenin works well, so a Spier 21 Gables Chenin blanc will go down nicely. Serve well chilled and you have a party.

Happy New Year!

NEW YEAR MUSSEL POT

Serves 4-6, but can easily be doubled or trebled

Prep/cooking time: 30 minutes

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

30ml (2 tbsp) butter

One small bunch of leeks, finely chopped (if you can't find leeks, you can use a large onion, finely chopped, or a bunch of chopped spring onions)

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped — or more, if you like

Half a bottle of white wine (Chenin blanc works well)

1,5-2kg fresh black mussels, cleaned,* or use frozen half-shell mussels that have already been washed

125ml fresh cream, or use coconut milk

Rind of a lemon, finely grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley and dill, chopped

*To clean fresh mussels, rinse them under cold tap water. Scrub the outsides if they are a little hairy, and then pull off the grassy “beard” from the pointy side to the round side. They are now ready for the pot. Remember, any mussels that aren't closed should be discarded before cooking. And any mussels that haven't opened after cooking should also be tossed.

1. In a wide, heavy-based pot/casserole dish, heat the oil and butter over a medium heat. Fry the leeks & garlic until they are soft and translucent, but not too brown. Add the wine, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Add the mussels all at once and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil again and steam for 5-8 minutes until they are open and just cooked. Add the cream and heat through, and then take off the heat and add the lemon rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper (some mussels can be very salty already, so be careful).

3. Serve scattered with chopped herbs, chunks of French bread and, of course, wine.

Recipe: Ilse van der Merwe

Wine Suggestion:

Spier 21 Gables Chenin blanc is sourced predominantly from a unique 35-year-old vineyard in Tygerberg, Durbanville. Bright and yellow-tinged, this beauty has a slightly golden core and has been oak-fermented and matured. The nose immediately offers ripe, baked apples and apple-pie spice. A combination of savoury notes and pure fruit gives beautiful layers of complexity to a rich entry and powerful palate. This is a full-bodied and seriously structured chenin blanc that will age well over the next decade.