Why discard open mussels

The habits of people choosing mealtime molluscs stick as tightly as a barnacle. Dr Karl applies some muscle power of his own to wrench open the facts. By Karl S. Now, I once believed two things about mussels. First, that you should eat them only in months that had the letter 'R' in them.

And that second, you should throw away the ones that don't open when you cook them. The first mussel myth is simple to debunk. The advice to eat mussels only in months with the letter 'R' applies only to the northern hemisphere, when the months of September through to April are when mussels are supposedly "in". Look at the influential cookery books of the s, such as Larousse Gastronomique in and Italian Food by Elizabeth David in The myth seems to have been started by the English food writer, Jane Grigson in her publication, Fish Book.

According to Nick Ruello, the mussel expert and fisheries biologist, this advice stuck as tightly as a barnacle. By the s, some 13 per cent of cookery books were agreeing with Jane Grigson; and by the s, this had risen to 31 per cent. As the plant went over the Italian alps it became rocchetta. When it got to France it morphed into roquette. In England, this was anglicised to rocket. The Americans, as we are all too aware, have a different lexicon. They call it arugula.

This came to America through another dialect, a part of Italy where the plant is known as rucola. I have brought home two bags from the bulk foods shop. One is cream of tartar, the other is baking powder. How can I tell them apart now that they have been mixed up? One is acidic, the other alkaline. Take a teaspoon of each and place them on separate plates.

Add a teaspoon of vinegar to each. Our Goan mussels proves how well this magnificent shellfish goes with warming spices. This quick and aromatic curry is ideal for a family dinner.

Pass the bread! Mussels bulk out our Normandy fish stew and add depth of flavour to this creamy bowl of comfort food. Try serving with waxy boiled potatoes for a simple supper. This easy tagliatelle recipe proves just how well seafood and pasta work together. Pair mussels with some bold Spanish flavours for a winning dinner for two.

Spicy chorizo and mellow cannellini beans make a tasty combination you can serve up in just 25 minutes. The ultimate guide to oysters Our ultimate shellfish collection Our best ever scallop recipes. Fact: Mussels that are open before cooking are most likely still alive.

Give them a tap either with your finger or on the side of a bowl and wait for the shell to close up. If the shell does not close after tapping, then discard. Myth: You should throw away any mussel that does not open after being cooked.

Fact: It takes around minutes, covered no peeking!