You want mussels? You've got 'em. From September to March British mussels grace our plates, and they're at their most succulent in the chilly months. Let us tempt you with our tasty mussel recipes.
During autumn and winter mussels are in such plentiful supply that even the most ethical eater should have no qualms gorging on them, as long as they're not dredged from the sea bed; try to eat ones sourced from the reasonably clean waters of Scotland or Ireland. If in Britain, eat British – the blue or common mussel are widely available, and while large Pacific green-lipped mussels may be tasty they use up a lot of food miles travelling to our bowls.
These juicy morsels have been a source of food for centuries; according to lore, a 13th century Irish fisherman happened across the idea of cultivating them when he noticed how they clung to the supporting poles of his fishing nets. Once seen as peasant food, like the oyster they've enjoyed a renaissance in recent decades but, unlike the oyster, remain cheap.
Mussels are a great source of protein, vitamin B12, zinc, iron and selenium (good for your metabolism and immune system). Don't be put off by woeful tales of food-poisoning from a rogue mussel; as long as you buy ones that have clean, un-cracked shells and smell of brine, and discard the ones that don't close when you tap them, you'll be fine.
To clean these health-boosting bivalves, wash them thoroughly then submerge them in cold tap water – mussels only like sea water, so this process should make them close up. Once cooked (steaming is best), ditch any with closed shells. Mussels go well with a variety of flavours, as these recipes show.
Some delicious. recipes with mussels