The recipe

When I was growing up, my aunt Golla influenced me immensely in the kitchen. She taught me that it’s vital to know how to cook, but it’s even more important to have a connection to the ingredients you’re cooking. My family enjoyed this mussel soup at nearly every Sunday lunch.

Serves 2

Time 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

1kg mussels in shells

3 tbsp olive oil

1 white onion, finely sliced

1 carrot, peeled & finely diced

1 red pepper, julienned

2 garlic cloves, sliced a pinch of dried chilli flakes a pinch of ground cumin a pinch of dried oregano

100g long grain rice

2 bay leaves

100ml whole milk

1 egg yolk sea salt and black pepper

1. Wash the mussels well, removing the beards and any barnacles. If any are open, give them a sharp tap – if they remain open, discard.

2. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the mussels. Cover them with 250ml water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a lively simmer, put the lid on, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Remove the mussels and set aside, reserving the broth the mussels were cooked in. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.

3. Heat the olive oil in another saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, red pepper and garlic. Cook gently until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 10-15 minutes.

4. While the vegetables are cooking, remove most of the mussels from the shells, reserving a few in the shell for garnish.

5. Add the chilli flakes, cumin and oregano to the cooked vegetables and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, then add the reserved broth, the rice and the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the rice is cooked.

6. Add the milk and egg yolk and stir to incorporate, then add the de-shelled mussels and heat through for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with a few mussels in their shells placed on the top of each bowl.