Help! What to do with fresh Mussels?

FatVonD

The recipe said to clean them off!

Forgive my ignorance but are barnacles living things too then? I kind of thought they were just a build up of something?

Is it okay that they are this shape?

Sorry, so many questions!

Tiptop

Whenever I've cooked mussels I've just given them a good scrub to get as much of the rubbish off as possible. Sometimes the barnacles have been more of a worm shape. I've always just thought I'm not eating the shells and they've always been fine.

Raksha

If you're serving them to guests, yes you'd probably want to clean them (or buy farmed ones which tend to be cleaner) but its not essential. Yes, barnacles are living things, they come in allsorts of forms, but all of them lay down some sort of calcium deposit as far as I know.

FatVonD

Thank you both, they've been cooked and eaten now and very lovely they were too!

I've never cooked mussels myself but my 15-year-oldson is hoping to be a chef and is far more adventurous than me!

Raksha

FatVonD wrote: »

Thank you both, they've been cooked and eaten now and very lovely they were too!

I've never cooked mussels myself but my 15-year-oldson is hoping to be a chef and is far more adventurous than me!

Good for him, my 17 year old has got himself a job in a fishmongers, but the family motto is 'if it swims and poops in the sea we eat it!' Last year he bought some squid home and prepared and cooked it, it was lovely!

FatVonD

Part of my son's catering college requirements for next year are that he has to have a part time job 'in the industry' on his days off so maybe I should be sending him to the local fishmongers too. His dad was fisherman so it'd be quite fitting if he decided to become the next Rick Stein!