Jamie Oliver’s Creamy Cornish Mussels

This dish is an absolute favourite in the Mack household — the kind of thing I make when I want us to feel thoroughly spoiled. And lately, “spoiled” has escalated into “borderline scandalous,” because I’ve started doubling the clotted cream that Jamie Oliver recommends. Yes, doubling. I can practically hear Jamie whispering “steady on” in the background, but honestly… once you taste it, you’ll understand.

You can always go on a few long walks afterwards to repent. I never do, but the option is there.

The photos attached are from a few weeks ago when I was still behaving myself and following Jamie’s recipe properly. Those were simpler times.

---

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of mussels — washed and debearded (I always buy them fresh from the fishmonger, because life is too short for sad mussels)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh chives (around 30g)
• 250ml Cornish cider (I used Rattler Original Cornish Cider — highly recommend)
• 50g Cornish clotted cream (or 100g if you’ve accepted who you are as a person)

Method:

Rinse the mussels in cold water. Any open ones should close — if they don’t, they’re dead to you. Literally. Bin them. Pull out any beards you find.

Finely chop the garlic and chives.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep pan. Add the garlic and chives and fry for about a minute, until everything smells like you’re about to make excellent life choices.

Pour in the cider and bring it to a fast boil. Add the mussels and clotted cream, then give everything a good mix. Try not to think about the calories. This is not the moment.

Cover and cook for 3–4 minutes, giving the pan a shake now and then like you’re pretending to be on a cooking show.

Turn off the heat. All the mussels should be open — that’s how you know they’re cooked. Any that remain closed should be discarded without ceremony.

Jamie Oliver suggests seasoning with salt and pepper, but I never bother. The mussels, cider, and irresponsible amount of cream do all the work.

Serve hot with plenty of bread to mop up the sauce — the sauce is the real star of the show, and we all know it.