Ingredients
- FOR THE AIOLI:
- 200g mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- FOR THE STEW:
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1tsp smoked sweet paprika
- 1tsp fennel seeds
- 100ml white wine or rosé wine
- 2 x tins cooked butterbeans
- 2 x tins tomatoes, finely chopped
- A handful of cherry tomatoes
- 20-30 mussels, scrubbed
- 250g sustainably sourced prawns, shelled
- 2 garlic cloves
- Handful of parsley, stalks and leaves
1 First make the aioli. Mix the saffron with a teaspoon of boiling water. Leave to soak for a minute, then stir very well to release as much colour and flavour as possible. Stir in the lemon juice, mayonnaise and garlic. Season to taste and place in the fridge.
2 Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pan and add the finely chopped onion. Sauté for five minutes until soft. Add the smoked paprika and fennel seeds and warm through before adding a splash of white wine. Leave to simmer for two minutes, then tip in the chopped tinned tomatoes. Add a tin of water. Season with a little salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the tomato's acidity. Add a handful of cherry tomatoes, lower the heat and simmer while you cook the mussels. Taste for seasoning.
3 Meanwhile scrub the mussels in the sink and remove any seaweed or debris. Tap any open mussels on the sink, and if they don't close, discard them. Place all of the mussels in a pan with a splash of wine and a few bruised cloves of garlic and parsley stalks. Place the lid on and leave to steam until the mussels open. This will only take a few minutes.
4 Add the prawns to the tomato stew and ensure they heat through. Remove most of the mussels from the shells and add them to the stew. Or you can add them with the shell. Divide the stew between four bowls and scatter with parsley. Serve with a wedge of lemon for squeezing over.
