Mussels with piquillo peppers, capers and courgettes

Method

1. Prepare the mussels by removing the beards, washing well in cold water and checking they are all tightly closed. Discard any that don’t close when tapped on a surface or that have cracked or broken shells.
2. Fry the onion in a wide-lidded pan over a moderate heat with the olive oil until soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and reduce until all but a tablespoon or so of the liquid remains.
3. Add the piquillo peppers and the chopped tomatoes and cook until the mixture has thickened and any liquid from the tomatoes has nearly all cooked away.
4. Add the mussels and diced courgette to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook over a high heat for about 3 minutes, until all the mussels have opened and are cooked and the courgette is just tender. Discard any mussels that have refused to open. Check the seasoning of the dish, adding a little salt and plenty of black pepper to taste.
5. Remove from the heat and add the chopped parsley, a good squeeze of lemon juice and the capers. Serve immediately.