Prawn & mussel pies

• pack ready-rolled puff pastry↗half x
• white wine↗150ml ml
• mussels↗1kg kg

  in their shells, cleaned and debearded

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• large onion↗1

  sliced

• sticks celery↗4

  sliced

• star anise1
• strip peeled orange1

  zest

• bay leaves↗2
• saffron↗pinch
• juice half lemon
• punnet cherry tomatoes200-250g g

  halved

• cayenne pepper↗pinch

  or crushed dried chilleis

• peeled Atlantic prawns↗350g g
• butter↗25-50g/1-2 oz g

  to taste

• chopped parsley

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Lay the pastry (a piece about 18cm x 23cm) on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 rectangles (see Gary’s tip, below). Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 mins until golden and puffy.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, pour the wine and 450ml/16fl oz water (see Gary’s tip below) into a large, deep pan and bring to a boil. Tip in the cleaned mussels and cover with a lid. After a couple of mins, remove the lid and stir the mussels until they open. Any refusing to open should be discarded. Drain the mussels in a colander, saving the juices. Remove the mussels from the shells, keeping some shells if you like, to use when serving the soup.

3. 3

   Warm the olive oil in the pan, then add the sliced onion, celery, star anise, orange zest, bay leaves, saffron and lemon juice. Cook over a moderate heat without colouring the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until completely tender, 12-15 mins.

4. 4

   Strain the mussel cooking liquor through a fine sieve over the vegetables, and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, season with a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed chillies and simmer for a few mins to soften the tomatoes. Spoon the mussels and prawns into the soup, stir in your preferred quantity of butter and heat to just below simmering point – you don’t want to overcook the fish. Sprinkle in some chopped parsley to finish, and serve in bowls with a pastry lid perched on top of each.