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26 mussel recipes for shellfish lovers

Once they pop, you won't be able to stop.
Mussels with beer and bacon

Mussels with beer and bacon

Ben Dearnley

Mussels are the under-sung heroes of the sea. The shellfish take just minutes to cook, and when steamed, yield a beautifully sweet and flavoursome sauce. As far as classic go, you can’t go past Bar Alto’s steamed mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine or Maurice Terzini’s squazzata di cozze. Or, try them stuffed, simmered in a paella, or turned into a creamy chowder. This one’s for you, shellfish lovers.

Photo: Con Poulos

Giovanni Pilu’s mussels and fregola

Mussels, risoni and herbs
Photo: Ben Dearnley

One-pot recipe for mussels with risoni and herbs

Photo: Dean Wilmot

Mussels with buttered polenta

Zucchini pancake (hobak jeon)
Photo: John Laurie

Zucchini and mussels pancake (hobak jeon)

Photo: John Paul Urizar

The Dolphin Hotel’s trucioli with mussels and ’nduja

Squazzata di cozze
Photo: William Meppem

Maurice Terzini’s squazzata di cozze

Photo: William Meppem

Cotriade

Party paella
Photo: William Meppem –

Frank Camorra’s party paella

Photo: Ben Dearnley

Marco Pierre White’s mussel and saffron soup

Ceviche with tiger’s blood
Photo: Anson Smart

Porteño’s ceviche with tiger’s blood

Photo: John Paul Urizar

Barbecued mussels with chorizo and toast

Photo: Rob Shaw

Mussel chowder with crème fraîche

Photo: Ben Hansen

Banksii’s mussels with vermouth, green olives and nettle butter

Mussels with lap cheong and wood-ear mushrooms
Photo: William Meppem

Mussels with lap cheong and wood-ear mushrooms

Photo: William Meppem

Mussels in fragrant broth with mung bean noodles

Stuffed mussels from Stanbuli, Enmore
Photo: William Meppem

Stanbuli’s stuffed mussels (midye dolma)

Wood-fired mussels, tomatoes and toasted sourdough bread
Photo: Chris Court

Lennox Hastie’s wood-fired mussels, tomatoes and toasted sourdough bread

Napier Quarter's mussels dressed with spring-onion  and verjuice vinaigrette
Photo: Mark Roper

Napier Quarter’s mussels dressed with spring-onion and verjuice vinaigrette

Photo: John Laurie

Spaghetti with mussels and chilli

Potato and mussel pancakes with sesame dipping sauce
Photo: Ben Dearnley

Potato and mussel pancakes with sesame dipping sauce

Mussels with garlic chives and ginger rice
Photo: Ben Dearnley

Mussels with garlic chives and ginger rice

Pickled mussels
Photo: Ben Dearnley

Mat Lindsay’s pickled mussels

Normandy mussels
Photo: William Meppem

Normandy mussels

In the foreground, a grey dish holding a pile of steamed mussels with chopped tomatoes and basil, on a dark blue tablecloth. In the background, a copper pot holding more of said mussels.
Photo: William Meppem

Bar Alto’s mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine

Mussels with chilli and shiitake
Photo: Mark Roper

Phil Wood’s mussels with chilli and shiitake

Mussels with beer and bacon
Photo: Ben Dearnley

Mussels with beer and bacon

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