http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/gordon_ramsay/article5693520.ece

Of all the shellfish, I love mussels the most. Not just because 
they are brilliant value, entirely sustainable, and packed with amazing gutsy flavours, but because they are an ingredient 
that keeps on giving. You put them in a pan over heat, give 
them a shake, and you end up not just with sweet little nuggets of flesh, but also the most incredible intense, salty juices. We
call it “magic stock” in the kitchen because it seems to 
come from nowhere, and is at least three times more powerful than any other fish stock.

There are just a couple of general rules when cooking mussels. First, don’t wash or debeard them until you are ready to cook them, but when you do, make sure you rinse them at least two or three times until the water runs clear – it’s weird how much grit the blighters can contain. The juices of cooked mussels will always be a moody grey colour, but it will look more like clay water if you’re not careful. And do discard any that either float or don’t close up tight when you tap them.

Second, whatever you do, don’t overcook them. They can turn rubbery very quickly, and a rubbery mussel is no pleasure at all. Roll them around in the pan so they cook evenly, and give them three or four minutes max, this time throwing out any that haven’t opened.

Thai-style mussels with coconut milk, lemongrass, chillies and coriander

Serves 4

This is one of the most delicious ways to steam mussels. The aromatic coconut broth gives 
the mussels a beautiful blend 
of mild heat, acidity, sweetness and savouriness – flavours 
that are typical of many Thai dishes. I like to serve the mussels with a crusty baguette to soak 
up the scrumptious broth. Alternatively, eat up the mussels and enjoy the broth with individual portions of blanched rice noodles tossed with a little sesame oil.

2kg fresh live mussels


Small bunch of coriander


400ml tin coconut milk


2 lemongrass stalks, outer layer removed and finely chopped


2 kaffir lime leaves


1 large red chilli, deseeded, trimmed and finely sliced

Juice of half a lime


1 tbsp palm sugar


1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce


1 tsp sesame oil

1 Clean and debeard the mussels and discard any that do not shut tightly when lightly tapped on a work surface. Set aside.

2 Finely chop the stems of the coriander and reserve the leaves in a separate pile. Put the chopped coriander stems into a wok or a large pan. Except for the mussels and coriander leaves, add the rest of the ingredients to the wok. Gently heat the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes to infuse the flavours.

3 Add the mussels, give the ingredients a stir, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the mussels for 3-4 minutes until they have opened and are just cooked through. Stir through the coriander leaves and pick out any mussels that remain tightly shut and discard.

4 Divide the mussels and aromatic broth among warm bowls and serve immediately.

Crispy breaded mussels

Serves 4

These make lovely appetizers with a glass of dry white wine

500g large mussels


1 tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled 
and finely sliced


Freshly ground black pepper


Few sprigs of thyme, 
leaves stripped


Splash of dry white wine


40g dried breadcrumbs

1 tbsp chopped 
hazelnuts (optional)


Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley or oregano, leaves finely chopped


1½ tbsp grated parmesan 
or pecorino romano


Olive oil, to drizzle

1 Clean and debeard the mussels and discard any that do not shut when tapped or broken ones.

2 Heat a wide pan until hot. Add the olive oil, garlic and a good grating of black pepper. When the garlic is fragrant and begins to turn golden around the edges, tip in the mussels, thyme leaves and a splash of wine. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and give the pan a few shakes.

3 Steam the mussels for 
3-4 minutes, just until they’ve opened. Remove the mussels to a wide bowl with a slotted spoon and leave to cool for a minute.

4 Meanwhile, mix together the breadcrumbs with the hazelnuts (if using), herbs, parmesan, and a good grating of black pepper. (I find that extra salt is unnecessary because the mussels are naturally salty.)

5 Break off the empty half-shell from each opened mussel and use your fingers to pull the meat from the other shell. Put the 
meat on the empty shell and arrange on a large baking sheet.

6 Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the mussels in a thin layer. Drizzle with a little juice from the pan and some olive oil.

7 Heat the grill to the highest setting. Place the baking sheet under the grill for 1-2 minutes or just until the breadcrumb topping is lightly golden brown and crisp. Transfer the mussels to a warm platter and serve at once.

Linguine with mussels

Serves 4

The naturally salty juices from fresh mussels, combined with a good glug of white wine, make 
a mouthwatering sauce for linguine. This easy pasta dish would be equally delicious with fresh clams.

1kg mussels


2 tbsp olive oil


1 large garlic clove, peeled 
and finely chopped

2 shallots, peeled and 
finely chopped

Pinch of dried chilli flakes


Few sprigs of thyme, 
leaves picked


75ml medium-dry white wine


300g dried linguine


1 large beef tomato, peeled, deseeded and diced

Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped


Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Clean the mussels and pull out any stringy beards. Throw out any that are broken or do not close when given a sharp tap.

2 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, shallots, chilli flakes and thyme leaves. Stir well and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften. Pour in the wine and let it boil until reduced by two thirds.

3 Tip in the mussels and cover the pan with a tight-fitting 
lid. Give the pan a slight shake and then steam the mussels 
for 3-4 minutes. Once the mussels have opened, remove them 
with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices behind in the pan. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, remove the mussels from their shells. Discard any that have not opened and, if you wish, reserve a handful in their shells to use as garnish.

4 Boil the linguine in a pan of salted water, according to packet instructions, until al dente. If there is a fair amount of liquid in the pan in which you cooked the mussels, boil it until the sauce has reduced a little. Tip in the diced tomatoes.

5 When ready, drain the 
pasta and immediately 
add to the sauce along with the mussels and chopped parsley. Toss well to coat. 
Taste and adjust the seasoning. You’ll probably find that the 
sauce has a sufficient level of salt from the mussels. Add a good grinding of pepper and serve 
in warm, shallow bowls.