900 g Mussels; cleaned
50 ml Dry white wine
3 tb Chopped parsley; (keep the
-stalks)
25 g Butter
5 Shallots; finely chopped (5
To 6)
5 Garlic cloves; finely
-chopped
3 Eggs; beaten
300 ml Double cream
Salt and freshly ground
-black pepper
FOR THE PASTRY
225 g Plain flour
Half tsp salt
65 g Chilled butter; cut into
-pieces
65 g Chilled lard; cut into
-pieces
1 1/2 tb Water
1 Egg white
Pre-heat oven to 200c/400f/Gas Mark 6.
1 For the Pastry: Sift the flour and salt into a food processor or a mixing
bowl, add the chilled butter and lard and work together until the mixture
looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2 Stir in the water with a table knife until it comes together into a ball.
Turn out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until
smooth.
3 Roll out and use to line a 25cm/10″ loose bottomed flan tin, 4cm/1.5″
deep. Prick the base here and there with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.
4 Line the pastry case with a sheet of crumpled greaseproof paper, fill
with baking beans (such as dried chickpeas) and bake blind for 15 minutes.
Remove the paper and beans and return the pastry to the oven for five
minutes.
5 Remove once more and brush the base with the egg white. Return to the
oven for one minute. Remove and lower the temperature to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
6 Put the mussels into a large pan with the wine and parsley stalks. Cover
and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan every now and
then, until the mussels have opened. Tip them into a colander set over a
bowl to collect all the cooking liquor.
7 Leave to cool slightly and then remove the mussels from their shells,
discarding any that have not opened.
8 Melt the butter in a pan, add the shallots and garlic and cook gently for
about 7 minutes until very soft. Add all but the last tbsp or two of the
mussel cooking liquor and simmer rapidly until it has evaporated. Scrape
the mixture into a bowl and leave to cool.
9 Then stir in the eggs, cream and parsley and season to taste with pepper
and a little salt if necessary.
10 Scatter the mussels over the base of the pastry case and pour in the egg
mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just set and lightly browned. Remove
and leave to cool slightly before serving with a green lettuce salad.
Yields
1 servings