Does anyone have any good ideas or recipes for cooking Mussles??. I know you can do them with wine and cream, but is there a definate recipe, or any other great ideas.How do you cook them and for how long? I know you dont cook them for too long as they overcook, so can someone help, it will be much apprieated,
Thanks for any help and suggestions.

There are numerous recipes for mussels. I'm not up to typing them, but a search will bring you dozens.

A simple way to enjoy them is to treat them like oysters. Steam or roast them, and dip into your favorite seafood sauce. Cocktail sauce works. As does a remoulade. Or even just melted butter.

Mussels are an intergral part of many seafood soups and stews, and part of pasta dishes.

In all cases, first prep them by scrubbing the shells, debearding the mussels, and discarding any that do not close when lightly tapped on your work surface.

About 90% of the time, cooking mussels is a steaming proceedure. That is, the shellfish is surrounded by boiling liquid, which causes their natural liquid to steam, and cook the mussel. This, in turn, causes them to open. Discard any that do not open.

One trick not often stated. Because they won't all open at once, there is a danger of overcooking the ones that open earliest. So you should remove them to a bowl, and let the others cook until they open, removing them periodically. After about ten minutes all those that will open generally have done so. You can then return all the open ones to the pot, or pour the cooking liquid over them.

MUSSELS ALLA DIAVOLA
Start to finish: 35 min

Ingredients:

12 garlic cloves, minced (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 cup drained bottled capers (1 1/4 oz)
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives (3 oz), pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 lb dried linguine
3 lb mussels (preferably cultivated), cleaned (see cooks' note, below)


Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with puree, tomato paste, herbs, capers, olives, and wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes, until sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.

Cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

While pasta cooks, increase heat under sauce to moderately high and add mussels, then cook, covered, until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 6 minutes.)

Serve linguine with mussels and sauce.

notes:
Just before cooking, clean mussels by scrubbing them well with a brush under cold water and scraping off any barnacles with a knife. If beard is still attached, remove it by pulling it from tip to hinge or by pulling and cutting it off with knife.
Tomato sauce, without mussels, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Makes 6 main-course servings.


Mussels and Wine
3-4 servings)

3 lbs. Mussels
4 Shallots chopped finely
1 Garlic clove chopped
2 tbsp. Olive oil
3 tsp. Butter
2/3 cup Dry white wine
1/3 cup Water
3 tsp. Finely chopped parsley
2 Fresh thyme sprigs or pinch of dried thyme
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp. Ground black pepper
1/2 cup Fresh cream
Extra chopped parsley
Lemon quarters

Wash the mussels under running water and remove all traces of mud, seaweed and barnacles. Remove beards (the rough fury part around the mussel).

If mussel shells are cracked or broken, discard them. If any mussels are slightly open, tap sharply, and if they don't close, discard.

Gently fry the garlic and shallots in olive oil and butter until transparent but not colored.

Add wine, water, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and mussels. Pour cream over the top.

Cover pan , bring to boil and steam over a high heat for about 4 minutes, shaking pan constantly. The shells will open as the mussels cook.

Serve as soon as the shells open, garnished with chopped parsley and lemon quarters.




Mussels Mariniaire


Main Ingredient:

3 lbs mussels (about 5 to 6 dozen)
butter
3 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Discard any mussels that remain open when tapped with fingers. Clean and remove beards.

In 5-quart saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, in 2 tbsp hot butter, cook shallot and garlic 1 minute, stirring.

Add wine and mussels; sprinkle mussels with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes until shells open; stirring occasionally.

With slotted spoon, remove mussels to bowl. (Discard any that remain unopened.) Without disturbing sediment in bottom of saucepot, pour stock into 1-1/2 quart saucepan; heat.

Meanwhile discard halves of mussel shells to which meat is not attached. Arrange mussels in shells, open side up, in soup plates.

Into hot stock, stir 1 tbsp butter; pour over mussels; sprinkle servings with parsley.

PAELLA ALA SEVILLANA - SAVILLE STYLE PAELLA

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20-25 minutes Serves 8-10

2 lbs. Shrimp, 16-20 count, shelled, devained and rinsed.

2 lbs. small fresh Little Neck Clams, washed and scrubbed

2 lbs. fresh Mussles, washed, scrubbed and berds removed

2 lbs. Red Snapper or other firm, white fish

1 Whole Chicken (3-3/12 lbs.) cut in pieces

2-3 lbs. King Crab or large Snow Crab legs, shelled and wiped with damp cloth to clean.

2 medium Onions, finely diced

1-2 medium Chile Peppers (your choice), seeded and fine diced

2 cups Long Grain Rice -- 1 tbs. Saffron -- 1 1/2 tsp. Salt (divided)

1 tsp. ground corriander -- 4 Whole Bay Leaves, crumbled

1/2 bunch Cilantro, coarsely chopped.

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Oilive Oil.

1 bunch each, Italian (flat) Parsley or Cilantro (Optional)

Add rice, saffron and other spices to boiling water and cook rice to preferred tenderness. Put aside in a warmer. In a large heavy skillet, put chicken pieces in heated oil and brown lightly. Add Onions and chile pepper, cook until soft. Add Shrimp, Clams Mussles, Snapper, and Crab and cook over medium heat until Snapper is opaque white, Shrimp turn bright pink. Combine rice with ingredients in skillet and heat to steaming hot. Serve in European-style soup bowls and garnish with Italian parsley or cilantro leaves. Enjoy.


Shrimp and Mussel Medley

1 pound medium shrimp
1 pound cockles, mussels or small clams
1 jar roasted red peppers 12 to 16 oz.
1 tablespoon Cajun Spice
2 tablespoon Karo syrup
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 g) cilantro * finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste



Rinse shrimp, pat dry. In small bowl, mix Cajun Spice with Karo syrup. Generously rub over shrimp, let it marinade for 15 minutes. In a blender, place roasted red peppers with 1/4 cup water; puree until smooth; pour into a small bowl; stir in cilantro, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat; sauté shrimp and cockles at the same time; shrimp 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through stirring frequently; cockles until open. Brush puree over shrimp and serve.

Yields: 4 Servings


Most mussels sold today are farmed and come fully cleaned. Mussels only need to be washed and bearded. To beard, use fingers to pull out the clump of hair- like strands.



Before you cook mussels, clean them thoroughly. In a bowl, combine the mussels and enough cold water to cover them. Let them sit for 20 minutes.

Lift out the mussels - so you leave the grit behind - and transfer them to a colander. You may see a threadlike piece on the mussels where the shells meet. This is the beard. Yank it hard to pull it off. Discard any mussels that stay open after you pinch them closed.

Agreed, there are millions of mussel recipes. If you are looking for something easy to start with, make some marinara sauce and then add your mussels. You will not be disappointed.