Mussels are cheap, easy to find, not hard to prepare, and adapt to lots of different cooking methods.

Enjoy the recipes included here, and feel free to send us your favorite.

MUSSEL SOUP
Serves: 6

2 pounds mussels
2 cups white wine
1 teaspoon shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon saffron
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup cream
salt and white pepper to taste

Scrub mussels under cold running water.
Heat wine in a large pot. Add mussels. Cover pot and steam for about 5 minutes, or until mussels are opened.
Strain cooking liquid through cheese cloth. Save.
Remove mussels from shells.
Reserve for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, add mussel broth, shallots, onion, saffron, parsley and chicken broth.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Combine butter and flour to a paste. Whip in the cooking liquid to thicken. Add cream and seasoning. Add mussels. Heat soup, and serve hot.

CURRIED MUSSEL SALAD WITH TINY PASTA
Serves 6

1 1/2 cups tiny shell pasta
4 quarts steamed mussels
10 ounces frozen tiny peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped parsley

For the curried French dressing:

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the curried mayonnaise dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the curried French dressing. Clean and cook the mussels.
Cool and discard the shells and any black rims.
In a salad bowl toss with 1/4 cup of the Curried French dressing. Pour boiling water over the peas and drain.
In the salad bowl combine the pasta with the peas and mussels and remaining French dressing.
Mix the Curried Mayonnaise dressing ingredients and carefully fold into the salad ingredients.
Chill at least 2 hours and sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving.

STUFFED MUSSELS
Moules farcies

Serves: 4

4 pints large mussels
3 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch parsley
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Parsley for garnish

Sort, scrape, wash the mussels, discarding any that do not close.
Steam them in a cup of water, in a large kettle. Drain mussels. Remove the empty half shell from each mussel, and discard, leaving the mussel attached to other half shell.
Peel and finely chop shallots and garlic. Chop the parsley.
Cut the butter into small pieces, and mix well with breadcrumbs, shallot, garlic, parsley and pepper.
Fill each mussel with the stuffing.
Arrange in a baking dish, and broil until brown. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.

MARINATED MUSSELS
Serves: 6

3 pounds mussels
2 cloves garlic
2 ounces olive oil
10 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley

Scrub and de-beard mussels.
In a large saucepan, brown the garlic cloves in oil. Discard garlic. Add mussels in shells, anchovy, white wine, and vinegar. Cover pot and steam until mussels open.
Discard shells and arrange mussel meats in an earthenware dish. Sprinkle with parsley.
Reduce cooking liquid by half. Pour over mussels and marinate for 2 3 days.
Serve chilled as appetizers.

STUFFED TOMATOES WITH MUSSEL SALAD
Serves: 6

6 medium ripe tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound cooked mussels without shells
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
6 lemon wedges

Wash tomatoes. Cut off the tops. scoop out insides, and sprinkle cavities with salt and pepper.
Combine mussels with mayonnaise and fill tomatoes.
Sprinkle with dill. Arrange tomatoes on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges.

PAELLA OF MUSSELS
Serves: 6

3 pounds fresh mussels
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 medium sliced red pepper

Clean and scrub mussels.
Steam in a kettle containing a small amount of water until mussels are opened.
Drain them and retain the cooking liquid. Remove top shells of mussels. In a medium kettle, brown the onion and garlic in oil. Stir in the rice and saffron.
Pour the strained cooking liquid and water over rice, to make 3 1/2 cups. Add mussels in their half shells. Stir in the red pepper.
Bake covered at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 20 minutes.
Serve the paella in a preheated casserole dish.

MUSSELS WITH LEEKS, SAFFRON AND CREAM
Serves: 4

2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks, thinly sliced
4 dozens mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded
1 cup dry white wine
8 parsley sprigs
10 saffron threads, crushed
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Melt butter in large heavy deep skillet. Add leeks and saute until tender.
Combine mussels, wine and parsley sprigs in Dutch oven. Cover and cook over high heat until mussels open. Transfer mussels to a bowl, discarding any that do not open.
Strain mussel juice into skillet containing leeks. Add saffron and cream; boil until reduced to sauce consistency. Stir in minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add mussels and any remaining juices to skillet. Stir and heat through.

STEAMED MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE
Serves: 6

5 pounds fresh mussels
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 egg yolks

Scrub and de-beard mussels. In a large kettle, combine parsley, white wine, and shallots, and bring to a boil. Steam the mussels in the boiling liquid until opened. Drain and save the cooking stock. Remove only top shells of mussels and discard.
Arrange mussels in ovenproof serving casserole. Strain cooking liquid through cheese cloth. Pour in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
In a small saucepan, melt butter, and add flour to make roux. Stir roux in stock and whisk to thicken. Add the saffron. Pour a little sauce into egg yolks. Mix well and stir into remaining sauce.
Heat sauce but do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Most of the time I do not add salt since the mussel stock has enough. Pour sauce over the hot mussels. Serve immediately.

MUSSEL PASTA SALAD
Serves 6

3 pounds mussels
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound fettuccine
6 large celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 teaspoon fresh chives
1/2 cup aioli sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 large Italian tomatoes, peeled and diced

Combine mussels and wine in heavy medium saucepan. Cover and cook over high heat, shaking pan occasionally, until mussels open. Remove mussels using slotted spoon. (Discard any that do not open.)
Let cooking liquid stand 15 minutes. Shell mussels. Strain cooking liquid through fine sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth. Gradually whish cooking liquid into aioli.
Cook fettuccini in salted boiling water according to directions. Drain and cool. Combine fettuccine, celery, herbs and aioli in a bowl.
Toss until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in mussels and tomatoes. Serve salad at room temperature.

MUSSELS IN MUSTARD SAUCE
Serves: 6

2 pounds cooked mussels
5 ounces mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 ounces celery
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 medium radicchio, shredded
6 radish roses

Combine the cooked mussels, mayonnaise, mustard, celery, and lemon juice. Garnish a serving dish with radicchio.
Spoon mussel salad over lettuce. Decorate with radish roses.

MUSSELS MARINIERE
Serves: 6

5 pounds fresh mussels
2 ounces butter
2 ounces chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

Clean and wash mussels under cold running water and de-beard.
Heat the butter in a kettle. Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the parsley, pepper, wine, and mussels.
Cover and steam until mussels open.
Serve in soup bowls with the strained cooking liquid. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.

MUSSELS AND SPAGHETTI
Serves: 6

3 pounds fresh mussels
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 quarts water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Scrub mussels under cold water. Remove beards and drain. In a large saucepan or kettle add mussels, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, and wine. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until mussels open, 4 to 6 minutes. Strain mussels. Remove from shells. Save broth.
Cook spaghetti in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook briefly, stirring, but do not brown.
Add tomatoes, broth and spaghetti. Cook, stirring often until spaghetti are done. Add mussels. Stir and heat for a moment. Add basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve hot.
sources: http://www.chefdecuisine.com; www.kuking.net