Mussels with tomatoes & chilli

10-30 minutes 30-60 minutes 400 kcal or less chilli chillies main course mains muscles mussel mussels mussels in tomato sauce quick romantic seafood starter summer tomato tomatoes

N/A

Serves 2

Source

Ingredients

2 ripe tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove , finely chopped

1 shallot , finely chopped

1 red or green chilli , deseeded and finely chopped

small glass dry white wine

1 tsp tomato paste

pinch of sugar

1kg cleaned mussels

good handful basil leaves

Method

Put the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water, leave for 3 mins, then drain and peel. Quarter the tomatoes and scoop out and discard the seeds using a teaspoon. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.

Heat the oil in a large pan with a tight- fitting lid. Add the garlic, shallot and chilli, then gently fry for 2-3 mins until softened. Pour in the wine and add the tomatoes, paste, sugar and seasoning (mussels are naturally salty so take care with the salt). Stir well and simmer for 2 mins.

Tip in the mussels and give them a stir. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan halfway through, until the shells have opened.

Discard any shells that remain shut, then divide the mussels between two bowls and add the basil leaves. Provide a large bowl for the empty shells.