Soups and Starters Recipes - Irish Cockles and Mussels with Bacon Recipe

Put the mussels in a large saucepan. Add the water, bring to the boil, cover and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the cockles and continue cooking for a further 3-5 minutes. Remove the cockles and mussels from the pan and discard any shells that remain closed.

Remove the cockles and mussels from the shells. Cut the bacon rashers in half width ways. Roll each piece neatly and secure with a wooden cocktail stick.

Put in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes to remove the salt and set the rolls. Drain, dry and discard the cocktail sticks.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the bacon rolls and fry until browned. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the onion and fry until soft, then add the mussels, cockles and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss in the butter to heat thoroughly. Divide evenly between 4 warmed serving plates, scatter over the bacon rolls and garnish with a sprig of watercress.