MUSSELS, CUCUMBER AND DILL
My first book signing was in a shopping center in Cambridge. I demonstrated this dish to an audience of two old ladies, one of whom left halfway through. If anyone mentions book signing, images of the shopping center come back to haunt me. The crunch of the cucumber, the plump orange mussels, the dill and the onions make me happy. The perfect exorcism.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a lidded pan large enough to fit the mussels, put a splash of oil, heat it up, add the vegetables, and let them fry for a couple of minutes—watch that they do not brown. Season heartily, as you still have the mussels and wine to come, and add the thyme then your mussels and the wine. Stir so they all get to meet the mixture, place the lid on the pan, and cook the mussels, now and then giving the pan a shake. When the mussels open they are cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When cool pluck the mussels from their shells, and strain and reserve the liquor.
  2. To make the salad, cut the cucumber into 2½-inch lengths, then split in half, then cut into three lengthwise, aiming the knife blade into the center of the cucumber. When brought together they should resemble a pile of kindling, rather than cucumber matchsticks. Now mix all the salad ingredients together with the picked mussels and a splash of the reserved mussel liquor, and serve. The orange mussels next to the pale green cucumber flesh is very satisfactory.