Steamed Mussels with garlic and parsley (and why seafood is sexy)

Not so long ago, I used to be scared of buying mussels in their shells as I had no idea how to cook them. They just looked cumbersome and tricky. So I used to stick to safe ol' wild fish. But this recipe that I put together after some inspiration from a few foodie friends is embarrassingly easy, quick and fun to eat (there's something very primal/tactile about using one hands to eat - I simply use one of the mussel shells as a utensil to pull the other mussels from their shells. Watch your kids have fun with this one!!!). And in keeping with my culinary signature style, there's only a handful of ingredients and they all go into the pot together. I especially like to keep seafood dishes very 'clean' and unfussy to let the flavour of the seafood shine through. (Yes I prefer my oysters served a la natural thanks, with no bells and whistles!).

I serve this meal every now and again instead of fish (on one of my twice-weekly seafood dinner nights at home) or pull it out as an impressive dinner party number.

I like to serve steamed mussels with a cup of extra fish broth blended with butter, fresh Sydney Rock Oysters drizzled with lemon juice, and a green leafy salad topped with shaved parmesan cheese or crumbled goats curd. I buy my mussels from Bondi Road Seafood (it's cheap and been there forever) but any old fish shop will do. You can either buy the mussels that are vacuum sealed in the packets or loose. The latter tend to be cheaper (eg I bought Edam Black local mussels at $8.99/kg).

One of the mistakes I made when I started eating an ancestral / traditional wholefoods diet is that I ate red meat 7 days a week. I inadvertently kept forgetting about seafood. But there's a lot of minerals in seafood that you can't get as readily in land animals (especially iodine, omega 3 fats (DHA and EPA), zinc and B12).  So a combination of both wild or pastured land animals and wild seafood is important, not just for a broad nutrient-density profile but also to fend off taste-fatigue and boredom.  And as one of my friends is fond of saying, "seafood is sexy". I'll let you make your own judgements there.....

Ingredients:

1kg of fresh mussels in shells (or could use vongole or a combination of the 2
1 cup fish stock (preferably home made)
½ cup parsley, roughly chopped plus extra for garnishing
20g garlic, diced
1 cup of tomato purée
extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
cracked pepper
unrefined salt

Directions:

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Add all ingredients to a large saucepan (other than olive oil and extra parsley for garnishing). Cover and cook on low heat until the mussels open (anywhere between 10-20 mins). The liquid and steam in the saucepan cooks the mussels. Divide mussels among 4 shallow plates and pour some of the broth from the saucepan on top. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with extra parsley and season with salt and cracked pepper.  The rest of the broth from the saucepan can be consumed separately in cups (much like a fish stock). Alternatively all of the broth from the saucepan can be poured onto mussels directly into deeper bowls.

Serves 4.

Tell me how you go.....Do you have a favourite fresh mussels recipe? If so, please share it!

Don't forget Father's Day this Sunday.....

With Father's day only days away (this Sunday 1 September!) you might want to park the novelty gift he'll never use and get something he can really get his teeth stuck into: Activated nuts.....(macadamias, pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazels, brazils, pepitas) 

Raw dark chocolate balls, or date coconut balls or nut-free date coconut balls.....

Power bars........

To purchase: simply call or text 0407 871 884 to arrange a mutually convenient time to collect from my home in Bronte. I'm home most days and evenings. 

Happy Sunday to all dads!

Organ meats cooking class – 7:30pm Tuesday 3rd Sept 2013

I have been approached by a group of 10 people to run an organ meats cooking class next Tuesday 3rd Sept. I would like extend the invitation to anyone else who would like to attend, especially those who missed out on my last one in July.

I will be showcasing ways in which you can easily incorporate (and disguise!) nutrient-dense organ meats into meals including:

(a) chicken livers (in the form of pâté) (b) lambs brains (via omelette, cheesy scrambled eggs, and crumbed in spicy activated buckwheat flour) (c) lamb sweetbreads (in creamy mushroom sauce) (d) bone marrow (via vanilla berry custard and meat patties)

Cost is $60 per person and includes:

• information on the nutritional benefits of organ meats
• detailed handout including information on where to purchase organ meats with prices, and step by step recipes
• practical demonstrations
• hands-on experience
• food tasting
• opportunity to ask questions of myself and a local butcher

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When: 7:30-10:00pm (ish) Tuesday 3 Sept 2013 Where: 77a Hewlett Street, Bronte.

Spaces limited

RSVP:  To secure a spot contact soulla.chamberlain@me.com or 0407 871 884 and deposit funds (referenced with your name) into bank account:

Account name: star anise organic wholefoods

BSB: 062 267 Account no: 10166103

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Please feel free to forward to any friends or family members. Cancellation policy: once funds are deposited into my bank account they are non-refundable but can be transferred to another cooking class/workshop upon 48 hours notice.

Organ meats from pastured animals are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Liver is loaded with fat soluble vitamins A and D, essentially fatty acids, highly absorbable iron, B12, protein, zinc and the richest source of folate. Organ meats should ideally be consumed at least once a week, if not more frequently. They are an especially important source of fuel and nourishment for athletes, children, those who are iron-deficient, those wishing to fall pregnant, as well as pregnant and lactating women. Organ meats were part of all traditional diets and were the most highly prized parts of the animal for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Most people in modern society simply don’t consume organ meats on a regular basis. Here’s your opportunity to build reserves of strength and vitality by learning how.