| Spicy tomato mussels with feta

SERVES: 2 TAKES: 35-40 MINS

INGREDIENTS

500g fresh mussels, cleaned olive oil, for frying

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and

finely sliced

½ tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp dried oregano

300g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 200ml white wine

60g feta a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped a few sprigs of dill, finely chopped

METHOD

Prepare the mussels by rinsing them under cold water. If any are broken or don’t shut when you gently tap them, it means they’re dead and must be discarded. Pull any beards off the shut mussels. Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

Place a pot large enough to hold all the mussels on a medium-low heat and drizzle in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 1-2 mins until lightly golden. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano and tomatoes and fry for 10 mins until soft and sticky.

Add the white wine and bring to the boil, then reduce slightly and simmer for 10 mins until it’s almost cooked away.

Add the prepared mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 5 mins until they’ve all opened. Discard any that don’t open at all. Finish with a good pinch of freshly ground black pepper and crumble over the feta. Scatter over the herbs and serve straight away.

Taken from Taverna by Georgina Hayden (£25, Square Peg)