Crumbed Mussels, Episode 5.1

Looking for an easy, yet delicious entree or party food? Crumbed mussels are perfect for any occasion. They are also simple to convert to gluten free, just by direct substitution of the flour and breadcrumbs for gluten free products.

It is amazing how many myths there are around the humble sea creature, the mussel. They are such a versatile food that can be served in so many ways, low in fat, high in essential minerals. Luckily for me they are farmed in Corio Bay, just an hours drive from home - so freshness is guaranteed.

I am privileged to have had the opportunity over the last nine years, to volunteer at the Portarlington Mussel Festival, with the last seven conducting cooking demonstrations. I have had the opportunity to get to know one of the farmers, Jenny from Mr Mussel and she has taught me a lot about these amazing creatures.

The Blue Mussels are farmed on ropes suspended metres above the seabed. The female mussels are orange, and the males are a white/cream colour.

Fresh mussels can be stored in the fridge for 7-10 days. Keep the mussels covered with a damp tea-towel that you change every 2-3 days. They are sill alive, even in the fridge. The mussels we don't want to eat, are those that have died prior to cooking. Discard any with a broken shell, or that are open and do not close when tapped on the bench.

When preparing mussels, allow them to rinse in a sink of cool water for about 10 minutes. This allows them to open and release some of the seawater and grit.  The mussels are then ready to cook.

De-bearding a mussel. There is a hard way and an easy way. The hard way - holding the mussel with the pointy end pointing to the sky, take hold of the beard, and sharply pull it downwards. Then add the mussel to your prepared sauce. The easy way - steam the mussels open in an empty pan over medium heat (3-5 minutes). The beards can then be easily removed with a gentle tug. Any juices left in the pan, can be strained through a fine mesh strainer and kept in the freezer. This mussel stock is perfect in risottos or paella.

Many people believe that any mussels that don't open during cooking are not suitable to eat. This is completely INCORRECT. The mussels that don't open are often the biggest ones, and are perfectly safe to eat. You need to discard any mussels that have a broken shell, or that do not close when tapped on the bench PRIOR to cooking them. When opening these mussels using the point of a sharp knife, be wary, as the shell will often contain hot water that can scald you. To see the technique, or to watch how to prepare crumbed mussels, watch my YouTube video below. I also have a YouTube video for Mussels with tomato and chorizo .

Crumbed Mussels

1 kg mussels
2 beaten egg
1 cup of plain flour (gluten free)
1+1/2 cup of freshly made bread crumbs (gluten free)
Good-sized pinch of pimento
Pepper and salt to taste
Rice bran oil for deep frying

Steam the mussels open in a pan covered with a tight-fitting lid. As they open, remove them to a bowl.
Combine four, salt, pepper and pimento in a bowl.
De-beard mussels, and remove mussels from the shell, keeping half of each shell for serving.
Coat mussels with flour, followed by egg and finally breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a deep pan or wok (180°C). Oil should be kept between 160°C-190°C for perfect results.
Deep fry crumbed mussels in small batches until golden. Be careful not to overheat oil as this will lead to mussels becoming overcooked and tough.

To serve, place back into cleaned half shells and serve with mayonnaise.

NB. 1. When steaming the mussels, don't be tempted to overcrowd the pan. A kilo of mussels is usually 2-3 batches depending on the size of your pan.

2. As the mussels are damp when removed from the shell, make sure that you coat them well in the flour and breadcrumbs to reduce the risk of the oil spitting, and to ensure that the mussel stays moist inside the crispy crumb coating.

Updated June 2023