These Mussels aint from Brussels...

...they are from Galicia, a heaven of molluscs and crustaceans! Look on a map and you’ll understand why. A coastline more jagged than a Stegosaurus, pounded by the fierce Atlantic, and harbouring an abundance of estuaries that are perfect for growing mussels (mejillones). I’m lucky to have made two very good Galician friends, Raquel and Sandra. Raquel hails from A Coruña, a city bracing the mighty ocean, and naturally she has pangs for a taste of home, so once a week we head to the market, put a euro in each and buy a fix of mussels. In truth I used to be a bit scared of the fishmonger, it’s not the smell, it’s the fear of being busted as a novice. Thankfully I’ve only experienced the opposite, traders offering advice on recipes and rounding prices down. 

So once you have a bag of rugged mussels you need to clean and sort them, a job that is surprisingly enjoyable. There is something a bit primitive about it, knife in hand, gnarly shells, it’s all a bit survivor stylie. I got carried away scratching off every little mark, but there is no need I’m told, just remove the beard (the tug of hair that keeps them attached to ropes/rocks when growing). 

When cleaned and checked they are the incredibly simple to cook. Put them in a saucepan with a lid over a medium heat and just add the tiniest amount of water. The vapour, not the water cooks them (unlike for example pasta), and they have the most brilliant natural flavour and produce their very own cooking liquid. Once all the shells have opened, drain, and save the liquid (this will do ever so nicely as a stock for cooking rice another day).  

Then as quick as you can set to removing one half of each shell and lay them down on their backs over a dish. As you go, pour over a little of the cooking liquid and a fresh squeeze of lemon, keeping them hot and flavoursome. I rate this way of serving them, as you get to see the delicate pearly inner shell which acts a nifty natural spoon, making them quick and easy to eat. 

Don’t get me wrong I am a huge fan of Moules Frites, with wine, with cider, but if you can get your hands of Galician mussels I don’t think they need any help, they are divinely smooth, lip smackingly tasty and ever so good for you.

Fork notes:

• Galician mussels are much bigger than their Mediterranean counterparts, the stirring Atlantic delivers more nutrients and enables them to grow larger. Though Clochinas from the east coast of Spain, harvested in Spring are another delicacy altogether and I look forward to eating them soon.
• Mussels are alive and they should close when touched or submerged in water, it’s their defense system, so if they don’t react, they could have died, or even worse, have been dead for a few days. Not worth risking it, we say bin those that won’t close when aggressed.
• They are a good source of zinc, zinc is good for the immune system, hurroo hurrah.
• The estuaries where they grow are called rias in Spanish and las bateas are the wood and rope structures that they grow from.
•  Great for a starter but we like to eat them with a hefty salad and some bread for lunch.