Basque mussel stew

Mussels cooked with saffron, Espelette pepper, sherry, and white wine, finished with butterbeans and a punchy homemade aioli.

1kg Mussels (cleaned)

50ml Olive oil
150g Onion (diced)
15g Garlic (sliced)
1 Red chilli
4 sprig Thyme
0.2g Saffron
1tsp Espelette pepper
200ml Sherry
200ml White wine
400g Butterbeans (drained)
15g Parsley (chopped)
Salt + pepper
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2 x Egg yolks (@Clarencecourt)
2 x Garlic cloves (grated)
30 Dijon mustard
15ml Lemon juice
15ml White wine vinegar
240ml Oil (neutral)
Salt + pepper

1. Sweat the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the herbs + spices and cook for 2 minutes on low. Add the alcohol and bring to the boil.

2. Add the mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes, until the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels from the pan and pick the meat from the shells.

3. Add the butterbeans to the cooking liquid and leave to reduce while you are picking the mussels. Add the mussels to the butterbean mix, finish with the chopped parsley, seasoning and lemon juice.

4. Plate up, add a spoon of aioli, sprinkle with chopped chives and Espelette pepper.

5. Blend yolks, vinegar, mustard and garlic, slowly add oil. Finish with lemon juice and seasoning.