Asian Inspired Mussels

Its official, barbeque season has arrived. The time of year when smells of charred meat and smoke appear to bring everyone into their backyard for a party. When it comes to a party there are a few key necessities; friends or family, drinks for both the kids and the adults, a main dish for all to comment on and enjoy and a side dish, something to accommodate or accent the main. One of the easiest ways to turn your party into a surf and turf meal is with mussels, blue mussels to be specific.

Mussels are steeped in history and one of the most popular shellfish these days, possibly due to the ease of cooking. Here in Ontario the majority of mussels in the markets these days have made their way from Prince Edward Island by way of Mussel King. Have you ever noticed those two-pound red bags of mussels in the seafood case, most likely they are from Mussel King.

Blue mussels have been a food source for more than 20,000 years and have been cultivated in Europe for almost 800 years. In Scotland, prehistoric settlements have been found with large mounds of mussel shells found discarded nearby. The mussel is a filter-feeding bivalve that can filter up to sixty-five litres of water per day.

Mussels are most often prepared by steaming or boiling in a broth packed with flavour. White wine, beer, even fruit juices can be used to infuse the mussel with flavour. For our purposes today we have been inspired by Asian flavours of coconut and lime.

You will need:

1 old large pot with a lid (it’s going on the barbeque)
1 can coconut water
Juice from 1 lime

Bring the broth mix of coconut water and lime juice to a boil, add the mussels to the pot and put the lid back on the pot. Leave closed for about five minutes; once the mussels have opened they are cooked. We recommend serving them in a bowl with a ladle of the cooking broth in the bottom.

Mussels are a quick and easy way to add a nutritious element from the sea to a backyard barbeque. Since it takes less time than a steak or hamburger to cook why not throw it on the menu for something a little different this year? Simply put it is fast, fun, and can make for at least a story or two depending on what the kids think of them so dive in and take the plunge with mussels!