OK, there’s an “R” in the month, and we’re sort of in the middle of the “R” months, so we’re having mussels this weekend.
Some people are still scared about cooking mussels, but as long as you buy them really fresh and treat them properly there’s nothing to be afraid of.
You’ll need plenty of mussels course – at least “deux kilos” for three people. Not the frozen pre-cooked variety, or the pre-cleaned pre-packed ones either.
They must be as fresh as possible, picked by yourself at low tide if you can, or fresh from the market that day.
Buy them on the same day as you’re going to eat them.
The shells should be black and shiny, tightly closed, and never dry and ashen.
They want to smell pleasantly of the deep sea and ozone – not “fishy”.
In the Languedoc, you might look for “bouchot”, the ones grown on wooden posts. The stallholder may ask “Laver?” but don’t bother. You can always wash them yourself when you get back to your kitchen.
Keep the mussels cool on the way home (not in a hot boot of a car), preferably in an onion net type bag, never tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in which they can suffocate, and not in waxy paper either.
Preparing musselsRaw mussels must be alive when you cook them, so prepare them carefully. Eating ones that you aren’t sure of is simply not worth the risk.
Give each mussel a quick scrub to remove any surface dirt. Scrape off the larger barnacles, though I no longer worry about the smaller ones.
Discard any mussels that are damaged or refuse to close when sharply tapped with the back of a knife.
Pull off as much of the “beard” as you can. This is the byssal or byssus thread – a protein which the mussel “spins” to attach itself to a rock or rope – or to other mussels.
Wash the mussels thoroughly in a few changes of cold water.
Cooking mussels
Moules marinières
Cook the mussels simply, in the biggest pot you can find, with chopped parsley, shallots, garlic, a large splash of wine.
Put the lid on, and let them steam away for about three minutes until they all open.
Standing out against the background of the pearl-white inner part of the shell, there’s a surprising variety in tthe colour of the meat. Some mussels are beige (male), others are orange (female). I really must do a blind tasting some time to see if we can spot any difference in flavour.
Discard any shells that don’t open.
Always avoid overcooking the mussels, or their meat will shrivel and become tough. And do not add any salt – mussel juice is already quite salty.
Serve in warmed shallow bowls, with hunks of crusty bread for mopping up the liquor/sauce, and a glass of dry white wine or a chilled rosé.
A few home-made frites and mayonnaise wouldn’t go amiss either.
Keith Floyd cooking mussels Other ways to cook musselsMussels are surprisingly versatile, and there are many other ways to cook them as a dish in themselves, such as:
- Moules à la Provençale (with chopped tomatoes, olive oil, basil and oregano)
- Moules au curry (simply add a pinch of mild curry powder)
- Moules au lardon – add small cubes of smoky bacon (fry these first)
- Mouclade (this has a very wide range of meanings)
- Moules farcies – stuffed mussels, something that’s a bit of work, so leave it to restaurants
They can also be oven roasted, or cooked en papillote (in a bag).
Our local tapas bar in the Hérault does them in a slightly piquant chilli sauce, a sort of Catalan twist, though I prefer the more traditional versions.
In Marseillan, they also do a Gratin de moules au Noilly Prat et parmesan, though that’s a completely different kettle of fish.
Or you could even use pastis, Pernod or beer instead of the white wine.
But what we’ll be doing this weekend is mussels in cider – Moules marinieres à la scrumpy jacques. More of that anon.
Related posts:- Moules frites in a Carcassonne bistro
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