Recipe: Poached fennel mussels with charcoal ciabatta

Ingredients

Charcoal ciabatta
1kg white stoneground flour
1 sachet instant dry yeast
4 tbsp activated charcoal powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp muscovado sugar
2 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
100ml olive oil
650ml warm water
100g black sesame seeds

Mussels
1kg West Coast Mussels, cleaned (do not put in fresh water)
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium bunch of fennel, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
250ml Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay
250ml cream
Salt and pepper to taste
20g dill leaves, finely chopped

Method

Charcoal ciabatta

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Place the flour, yeast, activated charcoal, salt, sugar, coriander seeds and olive oil in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and mix through slowly on low speed.

3. Slowly add the water  and mix until a wet dough forms.

4. Don’t be concerned about the wet dough. Beat the dough at high speed until the gluten starts to develop long strands, and all the dough has pulled away from the sides and collected around the paddle.

5. Turn the dough out into a bowl greased with olive oil and cover with cling film.

6. Place in a warm area and let it rise until double in size.

7. Turn out on a floured surface and sprinkle over some more flour and black sesame seeds.

8. Cut into smaller rolls or use as one big loaf without handling the dough too much and breaking up the yeast bubbles.

9. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until done.

10. Serve immediately or let it rest and warm just before serving.

Mussels

1. Fry the onion, garlic and fennel in the olive oil until well cooked and slightly browned.

2. Add the Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay and bring to the boil.

3. Add the mussels and cook for 5 minutes or until they start to open.

4. Add the cream and seasoning and mix through.

5. Sprinkle the chopped dill over the mussels and serve.

Recipe supplied by chef Mynhardt Joubert of Cathedral Cellar

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