How to Cook Mussels

Whether you've been consuming mussels from the sea your entire life or acquired a taste for them at a fine restaurant, a company dinner, a wedding reception, or event at your friend's dinner table, you may have a desire to cook them yourself.

I, personally, don't remember where I was the first time I chose to eat mussels. Yet, what I do recall is that I fell in love with them immediately.  As someone who has been eating seafood since my dad introduced me to it when I was an itty bitty girl, I enjoy trying seafood I never had before.

Unless you or someone you know lives where you can catch mussels yourself, you'll have to purchase them fresh or prepackaged from your local grocery store or a fish market.  Those that are prepackaged are frozen and may already be seasoned.  It's best to thaw them prior to cooking by either running hot water over the package or soaking them in a bowl of hot water.  Fresh mussels may be rinsed and cooked right away. 

The edible portion of the mussel is attached to the inside of a (usually) black, closed shell. Although they may be prepared numerous ways, the most efficient method is to steam them in a frying pan.  The reason for this is so that each mussel can get cooked and the shells can open up at the same time.

Nonetheless, if you decide to put them in a pot, they will be stacked on top of one another and the top layer will take longer to cook and open.  Depending on the number of mussels there are it should take 5 to 15 minutes to cook. 

Let's begin. 

1.  Thaw mussels (as described above).
2.  Pour no more than 1/2 cup of water into a frying pan. 
3.  Add 1 teaspoon of safflower oil (or the oil of your choice). 
4.  Add 1 teaspoon of parsley or basil and 1/4 cup of minced garlic. 
5.  Bring the water to a boil.
6.  Add the mussels. 
7.  Set the fire on low. 
8.  Cover the pot.
9.  Steam them until each shell opens.
10.  Lift the lid to check after the first 5 minutes.

You may keep the pot uncovered if you choose to add sauce while the mussels cook.  In any case, remember that each shell opens on its own to ensure that it's fully cooked.

Most mussel lovers prefer to enjoy them with either red or white clam sauce, pasta sauce or melted butter over linguine, spaghetti or angel hair pasta.  Add shrimp or scallops atop to further enhance your entree.  Bon appetit!