Moroccan Mussels and Chickpeas

, from Issue #22. September, 2015
Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Moroccan Mussels and Chickpeas

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2 kilograms medium size mussels
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika*
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup white wine
1 x 400 gram tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 x 400 gram tin crushed Italian tomatoes
zest and juice 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

METHOD

Scrub the mussels and remove the beards. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onion, garlic and all the spices over a medium heat until the onion is tender. Add a splash of water if the spices start to catch. Stir in the wine and let it bubble up for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, lemon zest and juice and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mussels, cover and cook until the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that don’t open. Stir in the flat-leaf parsley, ladle into shallow bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread. 

* If you are using sweet smoked paprika add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the recipe.