Recipe

Mussel hotdog

1. In a sauté pan melt the butter, then add onion, garlic & fennel & fry to soften (don't allow the ingredients to colour). Add pernod & flambé to burn off the alcohol. Place in a mixing bowl & allow to cool.
2. Add the mussel meat, chorizo, parsley & egg yolks to the onion mixture, season & mix to combine.
3. Place the mussel filling into a suitable piping bag with a wide sausage-filling nozzle on it. Push the sausage casing onto the nozzle & then slowly fill the casings with the mussel filling, being careful not to create air pockets. When all the mixture is gone & the casing is full, squeeze the ends off & then tie the ends. Twist the casing to form 6-8 sausages.
4. Hang the sausages in a refrigerator or chiller for 24 hours to allow the casings to dry.

Hotdog batter

1. Mix cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add milk, egg and butter. Stir until smooth.

To serve

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the mussel sausages to pre-cook, allow to cool & cut to separate the individual sausages. Place a wooden stick into each mussel sausage at one end then dip each mussel sausage into batter and drain over the bowl.
2. Deep fry in heated fat or oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, turning once. Remove from fat and allow to drain, season with salt & serve.
3. Serve with chunky tomato sauce, aioli, lime, chunky potato or polenta fries.

This recipe serves 4-6 people.

Image and recipe courtesy Nurtured Seafood