Lift the lid and the kitchen smells of malt, smoke and the sea. The shells have sprung open, the bacon has given its fat to the pot, and what is left at the bottom is a broth made for mopping up with bread.
Why it’s so good: Golden ale has a gentle bitterness that suits sweet seafood, while smoked bacon and wholegrain mustard give the cooking liquor a savoury backbone. A little cream rounds it off without making it heavy.
Make it easy: Slice the bacon, shallots and celery before cleaning the mussels, since the cooking itself takes barely 15 minutes.
For other pots to try, see our mussels with cider, tarragon and crème fraîche or mussels with ‘nduja, fennel and oregano.
