Mussels, guanciale and cannellini beans

Name: Mussels, guanciale and cannellini beans
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 150g guanciale, cut into lardons; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, if needed; ½ tsp dried chilli flakes; 400g cherry tomatoes, halved; 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 2kg live mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 100ml dry white wine; large handful parsley, roughly chopped; black pepper; lemon wedges and grilled bread, to serve

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

February 17, 2023

Guanciale adds richness to this shellfish one-pot wonder.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:6

Mussels are a favourite of mine in the kitchen. Not only are they delicious, they're also affordable and very quick to cook. And whether it's pancetta, chorizo or bacon, there's something irresistible about the combination of briny mussels with fatty pork. Here, I'm using guanciale – cured pork jowl – which adds real richness. Serve the mussels in the pan at the table with plenty of grilled bread on the side to mop up all the flavoursome juices.

Ingredients

150g guanciale, cut into lardons
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, if needed
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2kg live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
100ml dry white wine
large handful parsley, roughly chopped
black pepper
lemon wedges and grilled bread, to serve

Method

Step 1
Place the guanciale in a wok or large frying pan and set over a medium heat. Cook until they're beginning to colour and the fat has mostly rendered out. If the guanciale isn't particularly fatty, you can add the olive oil. Add the chilli flakes and cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook until the tomatoes have begun to collapse and release some of their juice. Add the beans and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about one more minute.
Step 2
Increase the heat to high and add the mussels to the pan. Pour in the white wine and cover the pan. Cook until the mussels have opened (about 3-4 minutes), shaking the pan occasionally. If you cannot comfortably cook all of the mussels at once in your pan, simply cook half at a time. Remove the first batch with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer and set aside while you cook the second batch.
Step 3
Return all mussels to the pan before serving, scatter over the parsley and check for seasoning. You shouldn't need any salt, but a crack of pepper is nice here. Serve with lemon wedges and grilled bread.