Mussel popcorn subs

I first tried these delicious shellfish bites, which are essentially battered mussels, at Mark Sargeant’s coastal restaurant, Rocksalt, in Folkestone.

He serves them in a hot dog roll as a bar snack resembling a po’ boy, an American sandwich. This is great as a party snack or as an alternative to the fish in your fish & chip supper.

SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 40 mins

FOR THE MUSSEL POPCORN 1kg mussels, debearded and cleaned small glass of white wine 130g strong white four, plus extra

for dusting pinch of cayenne powder pinch of baking powder sunfower oil, for deep-frying FOR THE LIME MAYONNAISE 4 tbsp mayonnaise juice 1/ 2 lime TO SERVE 4-6 brioche hot dog rolls or sub rolls shredded iceberg lettuce chilli sauce and lime wedges

1 To make the lime mayonnaise, mix the mayo and lime juice together, then set aside. Can be made the day before and chilled. 2 Put the mussels in a saucepan with a tight-ftting lid and pour over the wine. Cover the pan and place on a high heat for 1 min, then give it a shake and continue to cook for 2-3 mins until most of the mussels have opened. Tip the mussels into a colander set over a bowl to catch the stock. Freeze the stock for up to 2 months – it makes an intense base for a fish or seafood soup, risotto or sauce. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells, discard the shells and dry the meat on kitchen paper. Can be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled. 3 Tip the four, cayenne and baking powder into a bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Gradually whisk in about 150ml cold water until you have a thick batter. 4 Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or heavy-based saucepan to 180C. Dust the mussels in a scattering of four, then tip them into the batter and gently mix until completely coated. Working in batches, use a spoon to drop the mussels into the hot oil and sizzle for 3-4 mins until crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the next batch. Toast the buns, spread with the lime mayo and top with the lettuce and mussels. Drizzle over the chilli sauce and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over. PER SERVING 459 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 4g • carbs 34g • sugars 5g • fbre 2g • protein 14g • salt 1.6g