Garlic and Cheese Mussels

Few things in life are better than sitting down to a plate of warm mussels in the half-shell, covered in garlic and cheese and grilled until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

One of my favourite quick and easy meals is garlic and cheese mussels.

1kg of mussels in their closed shells, scrubbed
1 large pot of water (large enough to cover the mussels)
400ml grated cheddar cheese
5 cloves of garlic crushed or finely chopped

Bring the pot of water to the boil and add about 2 teaspoons of salt. Add your mussels to the pot and boil for about 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and drain in a colander. Discard any unopened mussels. Break off the top part of the shells on each mussel and then lay the mussels on a baking tray, with their inside facing you, ensuring that each shell has a mussel inside. Add about a quarter of a teaspoon of garlic into each mussel shell, spread evenly. For a spicey kick you can add a sprinkle of fresh, chopped chillies into each shell. Then add enough grated cheese to each one to cover it well. Put your oven on grill and place your mussels under the grill. Remove when the cheese has completely melted and is bubbly and starting to brown.

Serve on a large platter with a sprig of dhania or parsley in each shell.