Mussels are the easiest of the molluscs to prepare, because they have a relatively small amount of muscle tissue, which means they cook in a flash! They are best cooked on a shallow pan, so that you can remove them as they open. The mussels are cooked once they’re open.
I grew up in a seaside town where seafood like mussels abound and freshly caught. When fresh, they are delicious cooked just until they pop open and then dipped into a spiced lemon soy and ginger sauce. I believe and admittedly I’m biased, the best mussels I’ve tried were from my part of the world. The warm pristine tropical waters must have something to do with it. A close second would have to be the mussels I tried on a trip to Canakkale in Turkey. They were rice mussels stuffed with a hint of dill and lemon. It was absolutely scrumptious paired with the local arak,
Mussels with Bacon and Citrus Dressing
Course: Appetizers4
servings15
minutes15
minutesIngredients
4 rashers of fatty bacon, cut into thin strips
1 kilo mussels, cleaned and beard removed
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Thumb size piece of ginger, 1 🌶 chilli
Shallots or coriander for garnish
Directions
- Cook bacon on medium for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook mussels in a shallow pan that’s large enough to hold the mussels in one layer. Cover. After 3 minutes remove cover and check if any shells have opened. Remove the open mussels and set them aside.
- When all the mussels are cooked, remove the top shell and discard. Keep the shell with the attached mussels. Discard mussels that don’t open.
- To make dressing, in a small bowl mix together lime juice 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, a bit of finely chopped coriander and finely sliced chilli. Use a micro plane to grate the ginger over the top. Check and correct the seasoning.
- To serve, sprinkle cooked bacon on top of the mussels and spoon dressing on top. Serve with extra dressing.
Notes
- Discard mussels that don’t open after cooking.
