Mussels with Charred Bread

Method

1. Debeard mussels by removing the stringy beard extruding through the gap in the shell. You can do this by gripping it between. your finger and a butter knife or spoon and pulling it up and down until it comes out.
2. Drain capers and pat until dry with a paper towel.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the capers. The oil can sputter in reaction to the liquid inside the capers, so adding them carefully is important, and a splatter guard or a few steps back can prevent burning.
4. Fry capers until they begin to brown slightly, and puff up (30-60 seconds), then drain on a paper towel,
5. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. If you have a pot with a glass lid, this is a good recipe to use it for, because it will allow you to monitor the mussels opening (ie. being cooked) without letting steam out each time you remove the lid to check.
6. Add garlic, shallots, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt and sauté until shallots are soft and translucent.
7. Increase the heat to high, throw in cherry tomatoes and cook until they are blistered and just beginning to release some juices
8. Add mussels and white wine and cover with a lid.
9. Simmer mussels until they open, around 2-5 minutes.
10. Discard any closed mussels, stir through chopped chives, and taste and season the sauce.
11. Meanwhile, generously drizzle or brush olive oil on Turkish bread and sprinkle with salt, then grill over a griddle pan.
12. Spoon mussels into a bowl, top with fried capers and serve alongside grilled Turkish bread.