Skirlie Spinach and Mussel Stew Porridge

  • Chris Young

Recipe by Chris Young

Ingredients:

  • 100 grms pinhead oats
  • 4 fresh langoustine
  • 1kg mussels ( fresh)
  • 2 potatoes (medium to large) cut into small cubes
  • 3 rashers of bacon or same weight in pancetta or speck,cut into small dice
  • 1medium onion,cut into fine pieces
  • 2tbspns of quality rapeseed oil(other oils are available,but I love Summer Harvest)
  • Drizzle of truffle oil (you guessed it it I love Summer Harvest oil)
  • Small knob of butter
  • 1/2 tspn turmeric
  • 1/4 of fresh mild chilli just to give a bite or a very small pinch of chilli flakes(optional)
  • Salt n pepper to taste
  • 1large and 1small glass dry white wine( choose a nice wine,don’t cook with anything
  • 1/2 pint chicken stock
  • you would’nt enjoy drinking yourself)
  • 1medium tub thick double cream
  • 1small bag of fresh spinach 250g use more if preferred ,it’s good for you.
  • Finely chopped parsley for garnish
  • Drizzle of truffle oil(sounds like an advert but I use ,you guessed it, Summer Harvest


Method

Heat oil and butter in a thick bottom large frying pan
Add Oats,onions,turmeric and bacon and sweat for a few minutes,stirring making sure it does not stick to the pan.
Add drained cubed potatoes,stir for a few minutes,then add small glass of wine and reduce by half.
Add stock and simmer till the potatoes are starting to soften.
Add a third of the spinach roughly chopped and stir in with the cream and reduce further to a nice creamy consistency.
Add mussels which should be bearded and cleaned, put on lid and cook for a further few minutes at which time the mussels will have opened and cooked,any closed mussels discard as are not suitable for eating.
The langoustine can be cooked for a few minutes in the initial stages ,removed and then added at the end for a minute with the mussels to reheat or just put them in with the mussel stage where they will cook no problem.
Just before serving fold in rest of spinach as is then share out mussels in the dishes ,spoon over the stew and serve topped with a Whole langoustine,sprinkle some parsley,a squeeze of lemon juice a drizzle of truffle oil and enjoy with the other large
Glass of wine
It should be a nice creamy nutty texture
You can also leave out bacon and use veg stock if you wish,the more you reduce in the pan the thicker the sauce will become you can try it either way ,it will be delicious both ways.

Skirlie
Is a side dish or a Scottish stuffing,can be used in many ways.
The name comes from the way it is cooked-skirled in the pan.
Great for soaking up the juices in this delicious dish.