Recipe: Mussels with Toasted Vanilla and Black Garlic Mayo

For the paste:

One bulb of black garlic

Approx. 200g mayonnaise, either from a jar or homemade

For the mussels:

1 kg mussels

One vanilla bean

2 tbsp oil for browning

Chopped coriander to garnish

Allergens are marked in bold

A little fermentation turns garlic into a flavour miracle.
The aromas are reminiscent of plums, vanilla, liquorice and balsamic vinegar.
Using a knife, mince 5 to 6 black garlic cloves until they form a paste. Mix the paste with the mayo and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for one hour.

Cut the vanilla bean in half and toast it briefly in hot oil.
Add the mussels and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes in a pot or pan, tossing occasionally. Mussels cooked without adding water retain more of their original flavour!

Serve in a bowl or on a baking tray with black garlic mayo on the side. The mayo should be room temperature, so remove it from the refrigerator before you start cooking the mussels.

Garnish with chopped coriander, if desired.
This recipe is for a small appetiser. To serve it as a main course, just double the amount of mussels and serve with oven-roasted potatoes.