Scrub mussels, remove bread.
Heat oil in large saucepan, cook garlic, chilli and rind, stirring about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add mussels, juice and wine.
Bring to a boil.
Cook covered, about 5 minutes or until mussels open (discard any that do not open).
Remove mussels from pan.
Bring pan liquid to a boil, cook uncovered about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.
Return mussels to pan, simmer, stirring until heated through.
Serves 6.

Baked Mussels

500gr half shell mussels

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ cup stale bread crumbs

1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 220 C – 230 C
Remove mussel meat from shells.
Combine mussel meat, oil, garlic, parsley and bread crumbs in a small bowl.
Mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place one mussel in each half shell.
Place onto an oven tray.
Combine tomato with remaining bread crumb mixture.
Spoon over mussels.
Bake in a hot oven for 5 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned slightly.
Serves 4.

Half-shell Mussels with Toppings

Arrange 16 half-shell mussels on a serving platter.
Serves 4 as a starter

Chilli and Garlic Butter

¼ cup melted butter

2 tbsp. sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. garlic, crushed

Combine melted butter, lemon juice, garlic and chilli sauce.
Pour over mussels (mussels may be heated through prior to adding sauce, or served cold).

Mozzerella and Sun-Dried Tomato

2 ½ tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped finely

100gr mozzarella

Dried oregano

2 ½ tbsp. olive oil

Spread chopped sun-dried tomatoes over mussels and top with cheese.
Drizzle with olive oil and scatter iwht oregano.
Grill until cheese browns.

Stuffed Mussel Shells

18 half-shell mussels

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 small mushrooms, sliced

Salt and pepper

Juice of ½ a lemon

¼ cup bread crumbs

¼ cup white wine

½ celery stick, diced

1 tbsp. butter

½ tbsp. dried thyme

1 tbsp. snipped chives

½ tbsp. Galliano

Remove mussel from shells and chop.
Butter mussel shells and set aside.
Sauté shallots, celery and mushrooms in butter until soft, stir in mussels, bread crumbs (softened with milk), salt and pepper and thyme.
Add lemon juice and chives (if mixture appears too dry, add a little wine).
Pile mixture into buttered shells and bake at 200 C until tops are golden brown.
Drizzle Galliano over mussels and serve with lemon wedges on a warm platter.

Mussels in Wine

2 kg whole New Zealand mussels

2 shallots, chopped

2 tbsp. thickened cream

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup water

2 tsp. butter

1 bouquet-garni

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

2 cups dry white wine

½ stick celery, chopped

2 tsp. flour

Place shallots and celery in a wok with wine, water, herbs, pepper and salt and half the parsley.
Bring to the boil and boil briskly for 2-3 minutes.
Add mussels in shells cover and cook for about 8 minutes – until shells open (discard any that remain closed).
Remove mussels to a deep serving dish with slotted spoon.
Discard the bouquet-garni and return to the boil.
Mix the cream with flour and butter; working to a smooth, thin paste, pour into the wok and whish until well blended.
Add remaining parsley, pour over the mussels and serve immediately.

Mussels Marineres

1kg mussels, cleaned

1 small onion, sliced

1 stick of celery, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

60ml water or white wine

Pepper

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

Place mussels, onion, celery, garlic and water (or white wine) in a large saucepan.
Cook over a medium heat until mussels have opened. Stir frequently to ensure mussels cook evenly.
Add pepper to taste. Stir in butter and parsley just before serving.
Serves 3 – 4.

Mussels Provencal

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/3 red capsicum, chopped

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 stick celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1kg mussels, cleaned

45ml white wine

1 tbsp. chopped basil

Place oil, capsicum, tomatoes, garlic, celery and onion in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add mussels and white wine. Cook until mussels are opened, stirring frequently.
Stir in basil just before serving.
Serves 2.

Mussel Shooters

18 mussels, (cooked marineres style, and taken out of the shell)

Bloody Mary Mix:

200ml tomato juice

60ml vodka

A few drops of Worcestershire sauce

A few drops of Tabasco sauce

Celery salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients for Bloody Mary mix and stir until combined.
Refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours.
Take 6 shooter glasses and 3 mussels to each glass.
Top the glasses with Bloody Mary mix and serve immediately.
Serves 6.

Laksa

45ml peanut oil or vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp. Laksa paste

400ml chicken stock

1 stick lemon grass, chopped

500gr mussels, cleaned

250ml coconut cream

150gr rice noodles

1 lime leaf, finely chopped

Place oil, onions, garlic and Laksa paste and cook in a large cooking pot.
Cook for 3 – 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Add chicken stock and lemon grass.
Add mussels and cook until mussels start to open.
Add coconut cream, rice noodles and lime leaf.
Cook for a further 4 minutes.
Serve when all mussels have opened.
Serves 4.

Fried Mussels

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper

2 cups breadcrumbs

3/4 kg large mussel meat

3 tbsp. tartare sauce

1 tbsp. dry mixed aromatic herbs

Place eggs in a bowl and season with a little salt and pepper.
Combine breadcrumbs and herbs in a separate bowl, mix well.
Dip mussels in egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs.
Deep fry mussel meat in hot oil, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve immediately with tartare sauce.
Serves 4.

E’scargo Mussels

¾ kg half shell mussels

Garlic Butter:

500gr Softened butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

30ml brandy

Salt and pepper

To make garlic butter; combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Top up the half shell mussel with garlic butter.
Grill the mussels until sizzling and serve with crusty bread.

Cold Marinated Mussel Salad

500gr cooked mussel meat

300ml water

1 small carrot, diced finely

60gr cauliflower, broken into florets

½ red capsicum, diced finely

½ onion, diced finely

Pinch saffron

10 coriander seeds, cracked

45ml sherry vinegar

Salad:

Handful mesclun salad mix

Cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 tbsp. virgin olive oil

Salt and ample pepper

Place water, carrot, cauliflower, capsicum, onion, saffron and coriander seeds in a pot over high heat.
Bring to boil and add vinegar.
Remove from heat straight away from the stove and allow to cool down.
When cold, strain vegetables and discard cooking liquid.
In a large salad bowl, mix together salad, tomatoes olive oil, vegetables and mussels. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 – 6.

Chinese Style Mussels

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1kg mussels, cleaned

60ml water

1 tbsp. corn flour or arrowroot mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

3 shallots, finely chopped

Sauce Mix:

100ml oyster sauce

1 tbsp. fresh chopped ginger

1 red chilli, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 pinch Chinese Five Spice

Mix all sauce ingredients together.
Place sesame oil, mussels and water in a pot and cook until mussels start to open.
Add sauce mix and cook until all mussels are open.
Add corn flour mixture and stir until sauce thickens. This should take around 1 minute.
Add coriander and shallots.
Serve with rice or noodles.
Serves 4.

Chilli Spiked Mussels in Spaghetti

360gr dried spaghetti

1kg fresh mussels, cleaned

2 tbsp. olive oil, plus 1 tbsp. extra for drizzling

2 shallots, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

150ml dry white wine

Grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tsp. dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Black pepper to taste

Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, until tender but still firm to the bite, then drain well. Meanwhile, rinse mussels under running water.
Place the mussels in a large heavy-based saucepan, with just the water clinging to the shells. Steam for 3 – 4 minutes over a high heat, shaking regularly, until the shells have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the wine and boil rapidly for 3-6 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the mussels, lemon rind and chilli and heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the pasta to the mussels, the stir in the parsley and black pepper. Gently toss over the heat and drizzle over the remaining oil.
Serves 4.

Belgian Style Mussels

2kg mussels, cleaned

30gr butter

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 shallots or 1 onion, chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped, plus any leaves

150ml dry white wine

Black pepper

150ml thickened or double cream

2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat butter and oil in a very large saucepan, then add the shallots or onion and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the shallots are translucent.
Stir in the wine and plenty of pepper and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until the mussels have opened.
Remove from the pan and keep warm in a bowl, discarding any that remain closed.
Roughly chop the celery leaves, reserving a few for garnish.
Add the chopped leaves, cream and parsley to the cooking juices and season again if necessary.
Bring to the boil, then spoon over the mussels.
Garnish with celery leaves.
Serves 4.

Black Forest Mussels with Mushrooms and Brandy

30gr butter

½ onion, finely chopped

150gr finely sliced black forest mushrooms or field mushrooms

1 clove garlic, chopped

1kg black mussels, cleaned

100ml white wine

30ml brandy

2 tbsp. thickened or double cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Place butter, onions, mushrooms and garlic in a pot and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.
Add mussels, white wine and seasoning.
Cook mussels until all mussels have opened, stirring frequently,
Add cream and stir for 30 seconds.
Add brandy and cook for another 1 minute.
Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Serves 4.

Blue Cheese Mussels

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 stick celery, sliced

½ stick of leek, sliced

1kg mussels, cleaned

100ml white wine

30gr butter

60gr blue cheese, broken into small pieces

Juice of 1 lemon

1 handful of fresh spinach leaves

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

Place oil, onion, celery and leek in a pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add mussels, white wine, blue cheese, spinach, lemon juice and cook until mussels have opened.
Add butter and parsley, stir and serve.
Serves 3-4.

Chilli Mussels

2kg mussels, cleaned

2 tins Peeled tomatoes in basil and oregano

chilli sauce to taste

1 tsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Coriander, chopped

Parsley

Puree tomatoes and add chilli sauce and garlic to taste.
Heat oil until very hot but do not burn.
Add mussels cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until mussels open and flesh is firm.
Pour off ¾ quarters of the juice and add the sauce, coriander and parsley. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Serve in bowls with crusty white bread and chilled white wine.
Serves 6.