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…
Thank you to all who worked so hard to make my holiday all I could have wished it to be. The rest of the guests were good company and fun to be around. Yoga sessions well thought out, varied and fun. I especially enjoyed the time our skipper landed us all in remote and stunning locations. One of the most memorable places being the Isle of Gunna. This was where we were surprised after walking the dunes and enjoying yoga, to a birthday picnic of bubbly and cake on the beach. Thanks Sarah for having a birthday at just the right time. I haven’t felt so at peace yet so invigorated for a while I feel so blessed to have had such an experience of wilderness, sea, sand and amazing food. Our skipper was fantastic, scanning the horizon for wild life and things of interest while keeping us all safe. Seeing the area around Mull, Staffa (another memorable day), Inch Kenneth, Cairns of Coll and Ulva in all their glory from the sea was unforgettable. I enjoyed the week so much that I have booked a trip for my husband and me in 2025, on the Emma Jane with the same skipper, can’t wait.
Ruth Moody: 26 August 2023Serenity at Sea: A Hebridean Yoga Retreat