Ingredients
- 2 stalks kale, (remove thick stems), chopped finely
- 300ml milk
- 1 single slice of onion, 5mm thick
- 20g butter
- 20g plain flour
- 36 mussels, in the shell, cleaned and debearded
- 100ml cider
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 25ml cream
- Dash Tabasco
- 2 scallions or chives, finely sliced
- Flat parsley, leaves chopped (reserve the stalks)
- Splash lemon juice
- Irish hard cheese (I use Coolattin Cheddar)
- Pinch cayenne
- Sourdough bread, 6 slices
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Pour boiling water over the kale, then refresh in ice cold water. Set aside.
Heat but don’t boil the milk. Add the onion and parsley stalks. Once heated, strain, and set the milk aside.
In a small saucepan, make a roux by heating butter and flour to make a paste, cook for one minute. Gradually add the warm milk into the roux, whisking vigorously. Once it bubbles, set it aside.
Place a large, heavy based pot on to a high heat. Add the mussels, cider, onion, garlic and a splash of cream. Cover and let the mussels steam until they are open (discard any that do not open).
Remove the mussels from their shells, add to the white sauce. Add a dash of Tabasco and reheat the sauce. Stir in the kale, scallions and herbs. Season and add a dash of lemon juice if required.
Set the grill to a high heat. Arrange the bread on a grill tray and spoon the hot mussel mixture on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and grill until bubbling and golden. Garnish with a pinch of cayenne.
