The recipe
Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Peel 350g of large shallots and slice them in half lengthways. Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a shallow, lidded casserole, add the halved shallots and 6 small sprigs of thyme, then bake for 30 minutes until the shallots are pale gold.
Scrub 750g of mussels and discard any with broken shells or that refuse to close when tapped. Remove the pan from the oven, place it over a moderate heat and pour in 250ml of double cream. Bring to the boil, scraping at the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve any tasty, caramelised bits into the cream.
Tip the mussels into the pan, cover with a lid then return to the oven for 8-10 minutes until the shells have opened. Serves 2-3.
The trick
Check the mussels carefully, and get rid of any that are cracked, chopped, exceptionally heavy or which fail to close when tapped on the side of the sink. Cover them with a tight-fitting lid when you bake them, so they cook in their own steam.
The twist
Baking the shallots and mussels is a particularly relaxed way to go about this dish. It pays off, too, keeping the shallots particularly sweet and juicy. If you want to speed the process up, then do this on the hob instead. Slice the shallots finely, then cook them over a low heat until golden before adding the cream. You could include some button mushrooms, finely sliced and added before the cream. On the hob, the mussels can be steamed in 2 or 3 minutes.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater
