Cuisine - Boulevard of smokin’ creams

With summer officially over, it's time to move onto the kind of earthy fl avours and colours that only autumn can offer. Think nutty pine mushrooms, pears in every shade Autumnal leaves, and don't forget about seafood! On the ocean front, fi sh like red emperor, and wild barramundi come into season, as do mussels from Port Lincoln in South Australia. While novices might fi nd mussels intimidating, never fear, these days almost any fi shmonger sells bags of live, vac-sealed mussels, already cleaned, washed and ready for cooking.

 

Mussels in a white wine, tomato sauce Serves 4
50g butter, diced
1/2 brown onion, fi nely diced
1 small clove of garlic, fi nely diced
¼ cup of parsley, coarsely chopped
¼ cup basil, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 generous cup of white wine
½ tin of crushed tomatoes
1 pack (or 2kg) mussels, cleaned and scrubbed

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Heat half the butter in a heavy based pan to medium and fry off onions and garlic until transparent.
2. Add the wine, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, pinch of salt and pepper, cover and simmer.
3. Once the liquid has simmered for a few minutes, add the mussels, put the lid back on and allow to cook for 2-5 minutes.
4. As mussels start to open, remove them from the pan and reserve them in a bowl.
5. Once all the mussels are out, whisk in the remaining butter, basil and season the liquid to taste.
6. Pour the liquid over the mussels, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with plenty of crusty bread.

■ Melissa Leong

 

In and out at the markets

■ Just Arrived Kiwi Berries, Mandarin (Aust), Persimmon, Horseradish, Asparagus Green
■ Best Quality Blueberries, Chestnuts, fresh Raspberries, Rockmelon Pomegranates (local), Corn, Carrots, Eggpplant (loca), Rhubarb, Kumera Zucchini Flowers Cos Baby
■ In Season Apples – Gala, Jonathon, Pineapples, Honey Dew Melons, Kiwi Fruit, Cherry Tomatoes, Potatoes – Cocktail, Nicola, Russets
■ End of season, lower quality Cumquats, Strawberries, Snow peas
■ High prices Pink Lady Apples, Avocado Passionfruit, Roma Tomatoes