GRAZIA RECIPE -MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON, ROASTED FENNEL & PARSLEY PEARL BARLEY 

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTES | FEEDS: 4

INGREDIENTS
150G PEARL BARLEY – COOKED AS PER INSTRUCTIONS
1 BUNCH OF PARSLEY – LEAVES REMOVED FROM STALKS AND FINELY CHOPPED
1 LEMON JUICED AND ZESTED
3 BULBS OF FENNEL – QUARTERED
DRIZZLE OF OIL
GENEROUS SPRINKLE OF SEA SALT FLAKES
SEVERAL TURNS OF FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

GLUG OF OIL
1 WHITE ONION – FINELY SLICED
2 CLOVES OF GARLIC – CRUSHED AND FINELY CHOPPED
1 GLASS OF WHITE WINE
¾ PINT OF FISH STOCK
2 STAR ANISE
PINCH OF SAFFRON
200G SPINACH
500G MUSSELS – THOROUGHLY RINSED AND CLEANED

SAFFRON REDUCTION
PINCH OF SAFFRON
½ TSP OF TOMATO PUREE
SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE 

COOK THE PEARL BARLEY AS PER INSTRUCTIONS, THIS ORDINARILY TAKE BETWEEN 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR | FINELY CHOP THE PARSLEY AND ADD TO THE PEARL BARLEY ONCE COOKED ALONG WITH A GENEROUS SQUEEZE OF LEMON | PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 190 DEGREES CELSIUS | PLACE THE CHOPPED FENNEL ON A ROASTING TRAY WITH A GENEROUS GLUG OF OIL, ADD SEASONING AND ROAST FOR 25-30 MINUTES

IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN ADD A GLUG OF OIL AND ONCE HEATED ADD IN YOUR ONION, GARLIC, STAR ANISE | ALLOW TO SAUTÉ FOR AT LEAST 10-12 MINUTES UNTIL SOFT AND TRANSLUCENT | NEXT ADD IN THE WHITE WINE, ALLOW TO COOK FOR FIVE MINUTES OVER A HIGH HEAT | THEN ADD IN THE FISH STOCK AND SPINACH | ADJUST SEASONING TO TASTE | POUR AROUND 200ML OF THE STOCK IN A SEPARATE PAN | ADD IN AN ADDITIONAL PINCH OF SAFFRON AND HALF A TEASPOON OF TOMATO PUREE THEN ALLOW TO REDUCE | BLITZ UNTIL SMOOTH AND USE TO GARNISH WHEN SERVING

ONCE EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO, ADD THE CLEANED AND DEBEARDED MUSSELS TO THE SAFFRON STOCK | COVER WITH A LID AND ALLOW TO COOK UNTIL THE SHELLS OPEN | THIS SHOULD TAKE AROUND 3-5 MINUTES | SERVE THE MUSSELS OVER THE PEARL BARLEY WITH A GENEROUS DRIZZLE OF SAFFRON REDUCTION