British Mussels

[jourdain2]

In the supermarket I noticed Scottish mussels for sale at a reasonable price for once. Haven't had 'Moules Mariniere' & frites since we left France, so I bought a 1Kg pack. It was towards the end of the day and there weren't many 1kg packs left so the assistant briskly said "2 for the price of 1" - Great! I've just prepped the mussels and have thrown away very nearly half of them.

Can someone tell me if this is the norm in the UK, please? I'm used to ditching a few. Back later, must get the 'frites' on!

[shoota]

A friteful experience...

[ummmm]

It's pot luck I find. I find mussels are always reasonable priced. I'm presuming you're talking about live mussels?

[shoota]

Bi ceps instead of mussels...

[Buenchico]

Is your real name Cassandra, Jourdain2?



Del: “Ere, what was that starter…um…Cassandra made us last week?”

Rodney: “Moules Mariniere”

Del: “Mmm! That’s it. They were lovely moules, an’ all, weren’t they, eh? ‘Cos she’s got style, see. I mean that Cassandra is a classy lady”

Rodney: “I suppose so.”

Del: “No, no suppose so about it. I mean, a lot of people- you know, cheapos – would have used mussels – not Cassandra.”


;-)

[Togo]

Unless I'm eating out in Cornwall I only ever buy the sealed microwaveable sealed packets. M&S do a good version as do would you believe Tesco. Not a patch on fresh and prepped in a good kitchen. But sometimes needs must.

[ummmm]

I always buy my live mussels from Tesco. They usually cost between £3-4. Precooked mussels, although edible, are just not the same.

Super quick food....

[jourdain2]

No, sorry, buenchico! That must be from 'Only Fools and Horses' - I never watched it, just caught the odd episode. Not being pretentious at all :) I just think of mussels cooked in white wine etc. with chips as 'moules/frites' (I did live there for 15 years...) and went to some d**m*d good M/f evenings! :)

[Jackdaw33]

Not moules marinières, but I would often pop into the Bar Belgique, near the Place de Clichy, Paris, for a moules/frites.

[Togo]

The Alba on the Quay in St Ives is marvellous, I am longing to be there just thinking about it.

[ummmm]

I want mussels now....

[Jackdaw33]

I remember when young that live shellfish were not sold by weight but by capacity. Thus one would ask for a pound of cod but a pint of mussels.

[jourdain2]

I recall that too, Jackdaw. May I make all your mouths water by saying that they were absolutely delicious (the ones that weren't in the dustbin, that is) and far plumper and tastier than the ones I bought in Poitiers!

I bought a small bottle of Australian Chardonnay (1/3rd) to make the liquor (Broken Rock) and was a bit unsure, but it worked brilliantly.

I have some left-overs and I've frozen them to go with some left-over frozen prawns to make a spectacular fish pie at Christmas.

I'm still concerned about the amount of wastage though. To have bought one kilo would not have been enough.

[ummmm]

I've bought them where there has only been very few dead ones. Other times I've started to panic that there won't be enough as I'm chucking so many out.

[jourdain2]

It is very 'Iffy' isn't it Ummmm.

[ummmm]

I just think they aren't handled too gently.

[retrocop]

Jourdain
I recall dear Mrs retro offering her help when I was preparing moules.I bought live mussels in a mesh bag (Lock Fyne) from Sainsburys a few years back.
I put them in a bucket of water over night with bran flakes to clean them out.Helps to get rid of the sand.
She offered help so I said,"can you just scrub the shells a bit and remove the beards. Any mussels that are open just bin them they are dead and inedible"
The pile of mussels in the kitchen sing were diminishing at an alarming rate as "open ones" were discarded in the bin.
I picked up one of about 5 remaining mussels from the sink and realised she had filled up the sink with hand hot water.:-)
I retrieved them all from the bin ,washed them in cold water and just hoped/assumed they were alive before Mrs retro administered her cleaning method. We are all still around to relate the tale,in fact,the best moules I have ever cooked.That liquor soaked up in crusty bread. Fantastic. :-)

[ummmm]

Retro...mussels are not suppose to be stored in water.

http://peimussel.com/how-to-store

[retrocop]

ummm
Always done it. Must be a new quirk not to do that .My Grandfather owned a fish shop in the Valleys in the 1920s/30s. My dad who worked there after leaving school at 15 passed on the oat bran tip.The mussels never seemed to suffer or die and we never spat out grit when eating them either. :-)

[ummmm]

I'd be too scared to risk it....

[retrocop]

ummmm
See GeoffP 4th down. Some obviously do clean out mussels with water and bran. Others dont. Works for me.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=34718