Seafood Made Simple: How to use wild garlic in this delicious dish

The Tourism and Hospitality building in MTU, where I spent four extremely happy years, very kindly entrusted me with Jane Healy’s third year class of Culinary Arts students to help prepare a light lunch of canapés that reflected the theme of Erina’s pieces to be served in the James Barry Gallery at MTU’s main campus to close out the exhibition.

The focus of the menu was predominately on shellfish; with both Erina and I agreeing the future of seafood consumption will rely heavily on regenerative aquaculture. We served Glenbeigh mussel escabeche, Rossmore oyster pate with stout bread, shucked oysters and smoked mackerel pâté-filled choux buns. It was a special afternoon with an important message.

This recipe echoes those sentiments, a dish of creamed wild garlic with steamed mussels. Wild garlic popping up on our menus is a sure sign that spring has sprung. This perennial herb is a welcome addition to soups, sauces, and bakes. You’ll find wild garlic in woodland areas; do make sure you’re picking away from walkways and roadsides. Always cut away from the roots, leaving them intact with the soil for next year and only take what you need.

Creamed Wild Garlic Mussels

recipe by:Aishling Moore

A dish of creamed wild garlic with steamed mussels

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2kg mussels

• 1 onion,sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 15g parsley

• 80g wild garlic

• 300ml white wine

• 300ml cream

• Pinch of white pepper

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Method

1. Begin by cleaning the mussels.

2. Fill a large bowl with water and add the mussels. Using a small paring knife, remove any barnacles from the shells and the beard of the mussel.

3. The beard is what the mussel uses to attach itself to the surface on which it grows.

4. Mussels should only be cooked when alive so discard any that have cracked shells or do not close when tapped.

5. Rinse the cleaned mussels in a colander and refrigerate until just before cooking.

6. To make the creamed wild garlic, begin by sweating the sliced onion and garlic in the rapeseed oil for five minutes in a medium heavy-based saucepan on a medium-low heat.

7. Bring the heat to medium-high and add 100ml of white wine, bring to the boil and reduce by two-thirds.

8. Next, add the cream; bring to the boil and reduce by half. This will take approximately three minutes.

9. Remove from the heat and add the wild garlic and parsley to the pot. Using a hand blender — purée until amalgamated and vivid green in colour.

10. Taste and season with a little salt and white pepper. Remember mussels are naturally high in salt.

11. To cook the mussels, pre-heat a heavy-based pot on a medium-high heat for three minutes.

12. Drain the mussels well and check again at this stage for any that may have opened as you’ll need to discard these.

13. Add the drained mussels to the pot and immediately add there maining 200ml of white wine. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Give it a little shake and leave to cook covered for three minutes.

14. Remove the lid, all the mussels should be cooked and open at this stage, discard any that haven’t opened.

15. Add the creamed wild garlic and bring the sauce back to the boil. Taste the broth, season, and serve with crusty bread.

Fish tales

You can make the creamed wild garlic mixture a day ahead and add from the fridge straight to the cooked mussels. It also freezes well.

This recipe works wonderfully with surf clams and cockles. A mix of all three would be fantastic.

You can swap the wild garlic in this recipe for watercress, spinach, or even substitute with extra parsley.

If you are purchasing mussels the day before you intend to cook, I recommend storing them cleaned in the refrigerator covered with a damp tea towel.

It’s vitally important to thoroughly wash any foraged foods. Fill a spotlessly clean sink with cold water, a teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of vinegar. Toss the leaves well and allow to drain before running through a salad spinner. Cover with some kitchen paper and this will keep for up to five days in the fridge.