Chilli and Tomato Mussels with Basil

Well we are still busy at the new place - to be honest it looks like an episode of hoarders however with having only been there just over 3 weeks we have made some progress. Rooms are slowly being set up, boxes are getting unpacked one by one or targeted if we desperately need something (that's if we remember which box it's in) and it is starting to feel like home.  However needless to say we are all extremely exhausted and running on empty.and at times enthusiasm.  This year is Christmas at our house and a few important visitors in December so we need to be consistent with our unpacking and organising. 

After another big weekend Sunday's supper needed to be quick and easy.  I knew it would be supper as we had gone out for a Yum Cha lunch at Maxim Saigon, Springvale, with our good friends Kelee and Dave.  While out shopping Saturday morning I noticed mussels in the fish shop and with not having them for such a long time possibly due to seasonal reasons I knew exactly what we were having.  I had all these big plans for them but literally I had hit the wall by the evening.

Thankfully my husband took the reigns and made supper a success. It was a magic dish - mussels with a splash of wine, laced with chilli and tomatoes with flavoursome basil tones.  Noel's creation was on the table within 30 minutes and the majority of the time was spent doing preparation.  If you love mussels you should definitely give this dish a try.

Chilli and Tomato Mussels with Basil

(Recipe courtesy of Noel Murray)

Serves: 4

Smart Points per serve: 5

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 brown onion, diced

2 red cayenne chillis, sliced (deseeded if preferred)

2 green cayenne chillis, sliced (deseeded if preferred)

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

6 truss tomatoes, chopped

freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch basil, stalks removed

1 cup hot water

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

1 cup dry white wine

2 kilograms mussels, cleaned (debearded and rinsed)

Add olive oil to a large pan or wok and heat over medium heat.

Add the onion, chilli, garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring regularly, for approximately 5 to 10 minutes or until onion has softened. Season with black pepper.

Stir through the basil and cook until starting to wilt and the mix is fragrant.

Mix together the water and chicken stock in a small jug. Add chicken stock and wine to the pan, stir and bring to a simmer.

Increase heat to high and add the mussels. Give it a quick stir and cover with a lid. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until all have opened.

Remove from the heat and serve with some nice crusty bread if desired.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Braised Beef Cheeks

We are back.... not that we really went anywhere!  More a case of being uber busy and overwhelmed with life.  Jobs (both hubby and mine) have been very intense of late - mine has been all year.  We have a teenager living out her last year of high school and in the midst of exams as I type and to top it all off we decided to move house.

Moving house has brought it's ups and downs. The ups being a bigger house, including an extra bedroom and a swimming pool, along with a bigger and brighter kitchen.  The downs obviously being packing and moving everything given that we were at the last house for 10 years.

The kitchen is pretty much sorted however the rest of the house looks like an episode of Hoarders.  Needless to say I manage to cook over the weekend which I was determined to do as I am totally over takeaways after the previous weekend.

Armed with my trusty slow cooker (well one of the four that I own) I decided some tender Braised Beef Cheeks and Garlic Mash would fit the bill nicely for an easy dinner.  And I wasn't wrong at all.  The beef cheek melted in your mouth not to mention the herb and chilli infused sauce married with them perfectly.  I left the seeds in the chillis I used as I have not been finding them to have a high heat rating of late but you can deseed them if you wish.  The trick for a richer sauce is to ensure that your brown the meat well.  The darker the tones on the cheeks at this stage, the richer the sauce will be.

Beef cheeks are something that you definitely need to cook low and slow - so obviously the slow cooker is perfect for this.  However the original recipe was cooked on a stove top (both instructions for cooking are below).

Braised Beef Cheeks

(recipe adapted from Good Food)

Serves: 4

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large beef cheeks

1 brown onion, diced

2 tablespoons crushed garlic

2 long red chillies, deseeded (if desired) and finely chopped

2 tins diced tomatoes

560 ml bottle red wine

½ bunch rosemary, finely chopped

½ bunch thyme, finely chopped

½ bunch parsley, finely chopped

Season the beef cheeks, both sides, with salt and pepper.

Put a large cast-iron pot or large heavy based frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil, add the beef cheeks and brown them in the pot. Remove the cheeks from the pot and place in slow cooker vessel.

To the same pot add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook until the onions are translucent.

Add the tomatoes, red wine, rosemary and thyme and bring to a simmer.

Add the tomato sauce to the beef cheeks, put the lid on and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours.

Serve with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley.

Stove top instructions:

Season the beef cheeks, both sides, with salt and pepper.

Put a large cast-iron pot or large heavy based frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil, add the beef cheeks and brown them in the pot. Remove the cheeks from the pot and set aside.

To the same pot add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook until the onions are translucent.

Add the tomatoes, red wine, rosemary and thyme and bring to a simmer.

Add the beef cheeks, put the lid on and simmer on the stove for 2-3 hours.

Serve with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)