INGREDIENTS
50 g olive oil
40 g onion, diced
5 g red chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg mussels
150 g dry vermouth or dry white wine
200 g chicken stock
2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
To serve
Flat leaf parsley, cut into long, thin strips
Fresh green chilli, sliced
METHOD
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium-low heat, induction setting 4.
- Add the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, and cook until the onion is soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the red chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to high, induction setting 8 then add the wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Add the chicken stock and diced tomatoes. Stir well and lower the heat to simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the mixture to reduce slightly and develop into a rich sauce.
- Add the mussels to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat to medium-high, and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice. The mussels are ready when they have opened.
- Discard any that remain closed.
- Toss in the parsley and adjust the seasoning to taste.
To serve
- Plate in bowl or platter to share.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with additional parsley and fresh green chilli slices.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up the flavourful sauce.
APPLIANCE / FUNCTION
Hugh Allen
Hugh Allen had the desire to become a chef from a young age. His culinary journey began at 16 as an Apprentice Chef with the Rockpool Group learning and developing his fundamental culinary skills. Two years later, he joined the team at Vue de monde.
At the age of 20, he won the 2016 Gault Millau Young Chef of the Year Award, leading to stages at three Michelin Star restaurants in Paris. He moved to Scandinavia and joined Noma in Copenhagen in 2016, working with Rene Redzepi for three years, including the original Noma, pop-ups in Sydney and Mexico, and Noma 2.0. Returning to Melbourne in late 2018, Hugh became Vue Group Executive Sous Chef and was promoted to Executive Chef of Vue de monde in early 2019. At 26, he became the youngest chef to earn three hats in the Good Food Guide. His diverse culinary experiences in both modern and classic kitchens have shaped his unique cooking style, which is both refined and inventive in its use of local and native ingredients.
