Recipes

From Henrietta Green's Farmers' Market Cookbook

Serves 4-6

    1.5kg (3lb 5oz) mussels
    700ml (1¼ pints) dry white wine
    750g (1lb 10oz) potatoes, peeled and sliced
    12 quail’s eggs
    30g (1½oz) butter
    1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
    500g (1lb 2oz) leeks, trimmed, washed and finely sliced
    500g (1lb 2oz carrots, peeled and finely sliced
    Pinch of saffron threads
    200ml (7fl oz) single cream or crème fraiche
    600g (1lb 5oz) fillet of salmon, cut into thin strips
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    Juice of ½ lemon

Method

Prepare the mussels and put them in a large saucepan with the white wine. Cover and cook over a moderate heat for 5-7 minutes or until the shells have steamed open, giving the pan a good shake occasionally. Drain the mussels, reserving the cooking liquid, and once they have cooled remove all but a dozen out of their shells and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a muslin-lined sieve to remove any possible traces of grit, and reserve. Put it in a clean saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by about half.

Bring the potatoes to the boil in lightly salted water and cook for about 7-10 minutes until almost tender. Drain and set aside. Put the quail’s eggs in a saucepan over a high heat with enough cold water to cover and bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils, remove pan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 seconds, then plunge them into a bowl filled with cold water to stop them cooking further. Peel carefully and keep in cold water until required.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion, leeks and carrots and cook gently over a moderate heat to soften for 7-10 minutes. Add the saffron threads and give them a good stir, then pour in the reduced mussel liquid and simmer for a further couple of minutes. Stir in the cream, add the shelled mussels and potatoes and gently heat for a couple of minutes. Just before it is ready, add the salmon strips and cook. Adjust the seasoning and add the lemon juice to taste. Serve with a few mussels in their shells and the quail’s eggs on top.