07 May Poached Fennel Mussels with Chardonnay and Cream Served with Charcoal Ciabatta

Posted at 16:31h in Mains, Recipes, Seafood, Starters by

Poached Fennel Mussels with Chardonnay and Cream Served with Charcoal Ciabatta
Poached Fennel Mussels with Chardonnay and Cream Served with Charcoal Ciabatta
Print Recipe
We love cooking mussels as it is such a sustainable seafood and delicious at any time of the year! This recipe calls for loads of fresh fennel and white wine with a dash of cream and can be decadently lapped up with helpings of the Charcoal Ciabatta. The bread can be baked a day in advance and heated in a hot oven before serving. Make sure not to overcook the mussels and serve immediately after poaching them with chilled glasses of Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 1 hour
Cook Time
35 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 1 hour
Cook Time
35 minutes
Poached Fennel Mussels with Chardonnay and Cream Served with Charcoal Ciabatta
Poached Fennel Mussels with Chardonnay and Cream Served with Charcoal Ciabatta
Print Recipe
We love cooking mussels as it is such a sustainable seafood and delicious at any time of the year! This recipe calls for loads of fresh fennel and white wine with a dash of cream and can be decadently lapped up with helpings of the Charcoal Ciabatta. The bread can be baked a day in advance and heated in a hot oven before serving. Make sure not to overcook the mussels and serve immediately after poaching them with chilled glasses of Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 1 hour
Cook Time
35 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 1 hour
Cook Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
Mussels
  • 1 kg West Coast Mussels cleaned
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 medium bunch of fresh fennel finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 250 ml Cathedral cellar Chardonnay
  • 250 ml cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 20 grams Fresh dill leaves finely chopped
Charcoal Ciabatta
  • 1 kg white stone ground flour
  • 1 sachet instant dry yeast
  • 4 tablspoons activated charcoal powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Muscovado sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander seeds toasted and crushes
  • 650 ml luke warm water
  • 100 grams black sesame seeds
Instructions
Mussels
  1. Fry the onion, garlic and fennel in the olive oil until well cooked and slightly browned.
  2. Add the Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay and bring to the boil.
  3. Add the mussels and cook for 5 minutes or until they start to open.
  4. Add the cream and seasoning and mix through.
  5. Sprinkle the chopped dill over the mussels and serve.
Charcoal Ciabatta
  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
  2. Mix together the flour, yeast, activated charcoal, salt, sugar, coriander seeds and olive oil in a mixer bowl and mix slowly until combined.
  3. Slowly add the water and mix until a wet dough forms.
  4. Don't be concerned about the wet dough. Beat the dough at high speed until the gluten starts to develop long strands and all the dough has pulled away from the sides and collected around the paddle.
  5. Turn the dough out into a bowl greased with olive oil and cover with cling film.
  6. Place in a warm area and let it rise until double in size.
  7. Turn out on a floured surface and sprinkle over some more flour and black sesame seeds.
  8. Cut into smaller roles or use as 1 big loaf without handling the dough too much and breaking up the yeast bubbles.
  9. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until done.
Recipe Notes

Do not put the mussels in normal tap water as they will spit out there own natural juices.