Mussel Spaghetti

 We made this on a Wednesday. We were going to Wiltons’s Music Hall for a 19.30 performance, so we had to make a particularly quick dinner. We were quite excited about these shelled Mussels, which we bought in Waitrose.

This only took about 10 minutes to prepare (including one false start – we burnt the garlic and chilli), and it was really good. Definitely suitable if you need to cook for a few people but you’re very short on time. The quantities could easily be doubled or tripled.

We all agreed that using fresh mussels might enhance the flavour, but that it was a worthwhile sacrifice, given the speed of this dish. 

Fed 3 for dinner: approx. 63p per person, per meal.

Shopping List: 

Parsley – 1/10^th Big Bunch – 10p

Small Glass leftover white wine 50p

Mussels (from Waitrose - shelled) £1.29

Total: £1.89

Store Cupboard:

300g Spaghetti

2 Cloves Garlic

Chilli Flakes

Olive Oil

·       Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.

·       Chop the garlic, as finely as you like.

·       Chop the parsley and set aside.

·       When the pasta has 5 minutes left, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the chilli flakes and garlic. Cook gently for a minute or two, but be careful not to burn.

·       Add the mussels and wine, cooking for a further 3 or 4 minutes. You just need to make sure they’re cooked through.

·       Drain the pasta and return the pan to the hob.

·       Add the ingredients from the frying pan and mix thoroughly.

·       Sprinkle the parsley on top and divide into bowls.

We used pre-prepared mussels, but crab or clams could easily replace these. It would be possible to add some double cream or crème fraiche at the end for a more hearty meal.

We drank a glass of Muscadet with this, which is known in France as the poor man’s Chablis. It’s a fairly safe bet for seafood, and a quick Google will let you know what to look for on the label.

This article about Muscadet is a bit dated, but brief and informative.