Last updated 19:44, Thursday, 26 June 2008

THIS week we’re talking mussels.

They are a wonderful, exciting shellfish which have a beautiful fresh taste, but probably to some people a bit too scary to contemplate cooking themselves.

There are certain rules you have to follow when cooking them, but once you understand those rules, they’re not scary at all.

True, they do take a little bit of preparation, but all the effort is worth it.

The main thing you are looking for is freshness. Unless you know how fresh they are, always eat them on the same day that you purchase them.

In their raw state the mussels you buy should be tightly closed or close their shell when lightly tapped. This indicates that they are still alive. Avoid any that have broken shells.

To prepare them, put them in a sink of cold water. Discard any that remain open after you tap them.

Remove the ‘beards’ which are like strands of coarse hair attached to the shells. You may also need to give the shells a bit of a scrub to remove any grit or barnacles.

A couple of rinses in sinkfuls of water will ensure that the mussels are grit and sand free.

Like most of the ingredients we talk about, they are hugely versatile.

They marry well with lots of different flavours like Asian spices or Indian curry spices, can be used in pasta dishes, risotto, soups or stews.

Our recipe here is the classic moules mariniere, a delicious dish that everybody should know.

This creates its own sauce that is great to mop up with lots of crusty bread. Or you could do it the way the Belgians do and serve with frites and mayonnaise.

The best thing about this dish is that once all you preparations are done, it only takes minutes to cook. It is important to note that mussels need very little cooking. Overcooking them will make them chewy and rubbery.

1kg/2.2lb fresh mussels

115g/4oz butter

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 large glass of white wine (about 250ml)

1 bay leaf

large handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Prepare the mussels as described above.

2. Heat a knob of the butter in a large saucepan. When hot and foaming add the garlic, onion and bay leaf. Cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent.

3. Add the wine to the pan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels. Cover the saucepan with a lid. Gently shake the pan and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking or are shrivelled.

4. Using a colander, strain the mussels over a large bowl. Retain the mussel liquor and return to the pan. Put the mussels into the bowl from the colander. Bring the mussel liquor to the boil and add the parsley and remaining butter.

5. Pour the mixture over the mussels and serve immediately.

A further bit of trivia - the colour of the mussel flesh is not indicative of its flavour or quality. Orange coloured meat is female and a whiter mussel is male.