Pip Pedley is one of our onboard chefs for this season and she has provided us with her favourite mussel recipe!
Here is a deeeeelicious recipe for mussels, sourced from Inverlussa Mussels on Loch Spelve on Mull of course!
Bacon & mussel chowder with kale (serves 3-4)
500g mussels, well scrubbed & beards pulled off
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
150g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta lardons
1 large fennel bulb, outer tough layer removed & thinly sliced
1 leek, washed & sliced thinly in rings
100ml dry white wine (and a wee glass for yourself)
150g Kale, thick stalks removed, washed & shredded (Savoy cabbage will substitute nicely)
Salt & pepper
Check through the mussels. Tap them sharply on your work surface. Discard any that do not open or have been damaged. Heat the oil in a good-sized sauce pan. Fry the bacon on a medium/high heat till golden and crispy. Add the fennel and leek. Give this a good old stir and fry for a further 8-10 mins.
Chuck in the mussels and the wine, roughly 400ml hot water and a generous sprinkle of salt and a good pinch of pepper. Scatter the kale on top of the mussels. The idea is that it steams rather than boils so it wants to sit above the mussels. Turn up the heat to high, put the lid on and cook for about 5 mins. Have a check to see if all the mussels have opened – give the pan a controlled shake from side to side with the lid on (you don’t want mussel broth all over you!). Discard any that haven’t opened.
Have a taste and add a bit more salt & pepper if necessary. A nice bit of chopped parsley wouldn’t go amiss here. Ladle out into deep bowls and serve with a good hunk of crusty bread. Sit back and enjoy a little moment…
Fabulous cruise with first class crew. Jake our Captain got us safely to each destination, amending the itinerary as weather conditions changed. We nevertheless got everywhere we’d been promised and got to enjoy the wildlife to the max. Charlie, our cook supreme, fed us incredibly well and Jasmin, our steward, ensured we were so well looked after we didn’t want the cruise to finish. They also managed a birthday surprise for me, which was wonderful. Special mention to Lynsey, our guide, who managed to spot two humpback whales from a good few miles away, one of which hadn’t previously been seen in Scottish waters. We were able to spend a good while with them without ever feeling we were disturbing them. We also saw Harbour porpoise, common dolphins, seals, White-tailed eagles, an otter, a minke whale, a cuckoo, sea-birds galore (gannets, puffins, guillemots, razor-bills, fulmars to name a few) and heard the allusive Corn crake. The scenery was also fantastic. Incredibly dramatic as you’d expect and again Lynsey with her geology background was able to give further information. I had a great time with the other cruise guests who all helped make the cruise such an enjoyable holiday experience. My favourite moment was watching a pod of common dolphins speed towards the Emma Jane; swimming, jumping, tail slapping alongside and interacting with us before heading off. It was chucking with rain, but nobody cared, it was absolutely magical.
Jackie Phelpstead: 21 June 2025Skye, the Small Isles and the Shiants