Steamed Mussels with White Wine & Basil Pesto

Hello #LoyalRoyals

It’s the 21st birthday of Pesto Princess and one of the ways we’re celebrating this special milestone is to give you the chance of winning a Pesto Princess hamper packed with our products and the most beautiful Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole. Are you feeling lucky?

The Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole really is fit for royalty and we’ve chosen the classic Cerise colour for the winner. It’s not only one of the most versatile pots you’ll ever own (you can use it on the stove-top, in the oven or to serve from) but it will literally last a lifetime. Keen to win a royal heirloom? Head this way.

And the perfect dish to cook in such a fabulous pot just has to be steamed mussels in white wine with our Pesto Princess Basil Pesto.

Wishing you peaceful moments in your kitchen as the festive season approaches
HRH Kathleen

You’ll need

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 kg half shell black West Coast mussels*
4 Tbsp Pesto Princess Basil Pesto
Salt and pepper
Fresh baguette to serve

* If you’re lucky enough to pick your own mussels (with a permit), be sure to clean them thoroughly before cooking. You may already have your own technique for this (there are lots of different ‘tricks’) but here’s our version: give them a scrub first in clean water; steam them open and set aside to cool. If they’re particularly wild mussels with quite a lot of grit and ‘beards’, rinse out any grit and pull off the beards. This is a good moment to snap off the empty half-shell. If you’re buying mussels that have already been cleaned, you can skip this step.

How to

1. In a heavy based casserole dish (it’s difficult to beat this beautiful Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole), melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the wine and bring it to the boil before pouring in your mussels. Pop on the lid and let them steam for between three and five minutes.
2. When cooked, add the Pesto Princess Basil Pesto and give it all a good stir.
3. Season to taste and serve hot with toasted baguette, a bowl for shells and plenty of napkins.

Serves 4.

Photography, Recipes and Styling by Michelle Parkin.