Recipe

 Mussels with Cherry Tomatoes, Borlotti Beans and Basil
 
Borlotti beans are a favourite at our restaurants when their season hits between February and June. It’s the multicoloured jackets that we love and of course the buttery texture and sweet, nutty flavour. The beans have a natural affiliation with tomatoes and fragrant, fresh herbs but adding them to a shellfish dish is quite unusual. It certainly works though. The borlotti bean sauce gives this steamed mussel dish substance and heartiness. All you need is a hunk of bread on the side to mop up any remaining juices.

Serves 4 as a tapa

260g mussels, bearded and washed
150ml fish stock
Half shallot chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
100g cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
50ml dry white wine
15g unsalted butter
200g cooked borlotti beans
2 sprigs of fresh basil, picked
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and black pepper
Lemon juice to taste

Heat a medium size saucepan over a medium heat. Add a lug of olive and then put in the chopped shallots and garlic. Sweat them down and then add the chilli and mussels. Pour in the wine and then steam the mussels until they open. Remove the mussels from the pan and reserve. Reduce the wine down to a glaze and then add the fish stock, tomatoes and borlotti beans. Reduce down by half until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have broken down into the sauce. Stir in the butter and half the basil and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Toss the mussels back through the sauce to warm through and then divide between two bowls. Scatter the remaining basil over and serve.