Mussels With Bacon and White Wine

This dish of plump and juicy mussels in a fragrant broth comes from Kevin Dundon's program "Modern Irish Food".

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs mussels, scrubbed
• 1  cup white wine
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 2  shallots, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8  slices bacon, chopped
• 2  large tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons  chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions

1. Clean the mussels and discard any that don’t close when sharply tapped.
2. Place the mussels in a large saucepan and cover with the wine. Cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the mussels are open. Transfer them to a bowl and discard any that do not open. Strain the cooking liquid into a separate bowl to remove any grit or impurities and set this and the mussels aside.
3. Melt half the butter in a pan over a low heat and add the shallots and garlic.
4. Add the bacon, increase the heat to medium and cook for a few minutes until the bacon is crisp.
5. Now add the tomatoes and cook until softened.
6. Mash the flour and the remaining butter in a bowl, then add this mixture to the pan, piece by piece. At the same time, slowly add the mussel cooking liquid. If you find that the sauce is too thick, add a little water to loosen the mixture.
7. Reheat the mussels in the sauce, then sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately with some crusty bread.