MUSSELS with PESTO

THE RECIPE

This is a perfect starter or light lunch for serving when your time is short, as both the pesto and the mussels can be prepared in advance, and the dish assembled and cooked just before serving.

INGREDIENTS:

24+ Fresh mussels
100ml Water
2 tbsp Breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Small jar of pesto
Salt and Black Pepper


METHOD:

Clean the mussels and pull of the "beards" under cold running water. Discard any open or any with cracked or broken shells. Place the mussels with the water in a large pan, cover with a lid and cook over high heat for about 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until all the mussels have opened.Discard any that do not open and strain, reserving the liquid for another recipe.

Place the mussels in their half shells on on a baking tray side by side. Spoon the pesto over the mussels placed on the baking tray. Sprinkle the mussels with the breadcrumbs and cheddar cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Place the baking tray of prepared mussels under a hot grill for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is beginning to bubble and is golden.

TO SERVE:

Serve immediately with some fresh crusty bread.