Mussels with green pepper, Pernod, tomatoes, feta and dill. This is an Albanian recipe that we found in Venice to Istanbul by Rick Stein. We don’t agree with the seafood and cheese rule anyway and this dish proves that it can work. Serve with crusty bread.
Wine Suggestion: Match with a white with a bit of body, but no oak. We chose an underrated Sylvaner by Sipp Mack in Alsace which was fresh with stone fruits and a racy minerality in the glass
Butrint Mussels – serves 2
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, sliced
- 1 small green pepper, sliced
- 30ml of ouzo/Pastis (we used Pernod)
- 600g mussels, scrubbed
- 150ml passata
- 75g feta cheese
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- a small handful of dill, chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and sweat the onion, garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes.
Add the Pernod and the mussels, then cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes or until the mussels are starting to open.
Add the passata and feta and season with the chilli flakes, salt and some black pepper. Heat through for a minute or two, then serve scattered with the dill.
(Original recipe from Venice to Istanbul by Rick Stein, BBC Books, 2015.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 