Lizzie's Tomato and Chilli Mussels

2kg fresh blue mussels
1 cup water
3 400g cans crushed or diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tblspn fresh basil
1-2 chilli, finely chopped
1 tblspn olive oil
3 tblspn tomato paste
1 tspn sugar
1/ cup white wine
salt
pepper

Rinse clean the mussels and pull out the beard.
Place mussels into wide, heavy pan with water. Cover and cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, gently shaking the pan now and again. In a seperate sauce pan saute garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes over low to medium heat. Add tomato paste and stir for a further 2 minutes.

Keep stirring so the tomato paste doesn’t burn. Add tomatoes, chopped chilli, fresh basil, sugar, salt and pepper and white wine.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add steamed mussels and allow to warm through. Turn off heat. Garnish with fresh basil.
Serve with crusty bread. As alternative add this to spaghetti for a main meal.

Serves 4