moules frites en estilo español.

i remember the first time i tried moules frites on a family holiday in my early teens. we'd rented out a lovely little cottage near le havre in the north of france, along with the car and bikes especially for exploring. one day we took a trip to the seaside town of fécamp; with sail boats dancing along the windy pier and row upon row of blackboards. except instead of fish and chips etched in black and white like on the other side of the channel, they were lovingly dishing out moules et frites. 

in fact originating in belgium and hailed as their national dish, the classic creamy moules marinière is loved by the french and europeans alike. this traditional recipe is a medley of luxurious cream, white wine, shallots, garlic and fresh parsley. since mussels are such a versatile ingredient, i wanted to experiment with a recipe inspired by their spanish cousin. taking the flavours from the timeless paella, the moules are infused by smokey chorizo and the frites have a paprika patatas bravas twist.

cafe bruxelles, leicester.

cafe bruxelles as a lovely bar in leicester which serves speciality european beers, complex cocktails and, i've recently come to realise, an appetising menu too. not to mention, a beautiful ceiling hey? i remember first going there with my dad near on ten years ago and always recall him ordering a leffe blond. so, having recently got into trying out a few groupon deals, when i saw cafe bruxelles on the leicester offers i snapped it up straight away. a three course meal and bottle of wine for £24 - you can't go wrong really!

jones' bistro, leicester.

found in a lovely little corner of leicester, jones' bistro on queens road has a charming and rustic candlelit feel, serves a fresh, seasonal menu and boasts an extensive wine and cocktail selection. it's somewhere i'd recommend to anyone looking for a cosy, romantic meal or an evening out for a birthday or special occasion. when i used to live in the nearby student area, we'd treat ourselves to meals out here now and again. then, on my graduation back in 2010, i went here for a meal with my mum and sister that i didn't have to pay for :)

fast forward to nowadays and jones' is still serving my favourite seafood risotto, delicious homemade bread and herb butter and their amazing selection of mussel dishes. these include mussels mariniere, thai, portuguese, cornish, stilton and signature jones' - with red onion, fennel, garlic, chilli, white wine and coriander. there are only around ten tables in the place and no wonder they're always pretty booked up! 

mussel inn, edinburgh.

mussel inn seafood restaurant, edinburgh
www.mussel-inn.com

grilled queenies (£5.30)
queen scallops in garlic butter served on a rocket, sun blushed tomato, parmesan and olive salad

mussels with white wine, garlic, shallots and cream (£12.20 for 1 kilo)

set along rose street, a bustling bar and restaurant area of the city centre, we had had been recommended this restaurant by our trusty guide book. 

don't be fooled by the basic chip shop style interior, the food is beautifully presented and the mussels are to die for. from mexican to moroccan and blue cheese to roasted pepper sauces, you can have your mussels in ½ kilo or kilo pots. i went for a kilo of course, which was roughly 60 mussels. what's more, they're sustainable too! :) double yum!

"Our mussels are grown on ropes in sea lochs on the West of Scotland and the Shetland Isles. They feed naturally in the plankton rich waters. Sustainability and care for the environment are an important part of the natural cultivation skills practised by our growers."

fancy trying cooking scallops yourself? maybe try my scallops with white wine, garlic and rocket linguine. or for another stunning seafood bar, i'd definitely recommend mourne seafood bar in belfast. 

mourne seafood bar, belfast.

"Our aim is to serve fresh local seafood at an affordable price. To ensure freshness we purchase direct from the local ports of Annalong and Kilkeel on a daily basis."

i have to say living in the middle of england i probably couldn't live further from the sea. so as much as i love the bakewell tarts, melton mowbray pork pies and red leicester cheese i do sadly miss out on truly fresh seafood - something i never pass up!

myself and my mum shared their famous mussels steamed with white wine, garlic and cream as well as prawn linguine with cherry tomato and chorzio marinara and parmesan and spiced fishcake with guacamole and salad.

and of course - in true irish spirit - had to try their colcannon!

as i live so far, far away you're probably wondering how i found the place. well, this quaint little restaurant was recommended to me by a leicestershire friend who also visited. and i'd recommend it to you too if you're ever nearby. (you never know!)

marks and spencer's deli: seafood salad with lemon and parsley dressing.

seafood salad with lemon and parsley dressing from the m&s deli range. 



wow. just wow. if you love shellfish then this is just heaven. and not bad on the calories for an indulgent snack. the drizzling of lemon and texture of the parsley brings out the flavours of the fresh mussels, calamari and juicy prawns. i bought this as a no carb, high protein snack with no intention of reviewing but i would really recommend it to fish lovers :)


have you tried any nice deli and tapas style snacks that seem to be appearing in supermarkets lately?