KŪTAI KŌHUATIA

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Peter Gordon, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, is a renowned New Zealand chef celebrated as the pioneer of fusion cuisine. Born in Whanganui, he has established acclaimed restaurants globally, including The Providores in London and Homeland in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Peter has authored multiple cookbooks and is known for his innovative blending of flavours from different cultures.

KŪTAI KŌHUATIA
Steamed Mussels

Foraging for mussels was something our whānau did all the time. Dad was a lover of kaimoana, which he passed on to all his children. There was usually a dinghy or a whitebait net on the roof racks of our car and fishing rods or nets in the boot. Mussels were so much easier to collect than fish. We would just pull up at a beach and head out to the rocks an hour or so before low tide, before it began to come in, and harvest the bigger mussels on the rocks – always knowing to just take what we needed for a kai. I remember harvesting some on a beach in the Coromandel and dad cooking them on corrugated iron roofing we found in the dunes over an open fire. Just the taste of mussels – no fancy flavours to get in the way. We’d also steam them with carrots, onions and bay leaves and sometimes a little DB beer added to the water – ours wasn’t a wine drinking household. We’d also open them uncooked and mince them in our hand mincer with raw onion – sometimes with pipis added if we’d managed a double haul – and mix in flour, an egg or two and some more of that beer – Dad said the yeast helped make them rise and I think he was right. We’d always have them with bread – ether to mop up the cooking juices or to hold them in their hot shells. When I think about mussels now, I always picture my father Bruce Gordon, my second mum Rose and my siblings. Mussels make an affordable and tasty meal and you need to get your fingers dirty – the perfect family kai to celebrate at Matāriki.

— Chef Peter Gordon

For 4 mains or 6 starters

Ingredients:
2 kg mussels, skins scrubbed, beards and barnacles removed
3 – 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into strips (any bacon or even chorizo sausage works well)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
½ c (125ml) olive oil
12 thin slices bread
1 onion, peeled, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
1 T chopped or grated ginger
1 - 2 chillies, thinly sliced (more or less to taste)
1 t cumin seeds (or ½ t ground cumin)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can coconut milk, give it a good shake before opening
½ bunch coriander, cut into 2cm lengths – stalk and leaves
3 spring onions, thinly sliced into rings

Method:
Heat your pan over medium high heat for a minute then add the bacon and 4 T (60ml) oil. Cook until the bacon begins to crisp a little, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and fry till it becomes golden. Remove the bacon and garlic with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl

Add the remaining oil to the pan and when it gets a little smoky, fry the bread in it, cooking till golden on both sides. Remove to a plate.

Add the onion, ginger, chillies and cumin to the oil in the pan and cook until they caramelise, stirring occasionally. Return the bacon, garlic and tomatoes, bring to a gentle boil and cook two minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.

Using a large spoon, remove roughly half the mixture, you needn’t be precise. Add half a can of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add half the mussels, put a lid on and cook 4 minutes. From this point on remove any that open and place in a large clean bowl and continue cooking the rest. If any haven’t opened after 7 minutes discard them. Tip the contents of the pan, and the mussels into the bowl.

Place the pan back on the heat. Add the reserved tomato mixture and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the remaining mussels and cook as above.

Once all the mussels are cooked, return to the pan and scatter on the coriander and spring onions and serve with the fried bread.

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