Have you ever wondered how to cook mussels? It’s actually super easy.

Did you know steamed mussels with garlic and white wine is considered one of the most elegant classics among culinary experts? So, there should be no reason to not enjoy them at home – they’re fancy enough for a weekend treat, and easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner. Most of the mussels you buy have dark blue, black, or sometimes green shells. How do we get them ready to cook?

#1 Rinse
Rinse and stir mussels under cold running fresh water. Mussels naturally open and close their shells when out of water. Discard any mussels with wide-open, cracked or discoloured shells. A fresh mussel should smell like the sea, a little salty and a little sweet. For any mussels that do not close after rinsing, tap their shells or lightly squeeze them while running under the water again. For any mussel that still does not close, throw it away.

#2 Steam
Place enough liquid in an empty pot to cover the bottom and turn the heat to high. Add the mussels to the pot and cover with the lid. Keep temperature to high. Cooking will take 5 to 7 minutes depending on the strength of heat, how much liquid you use, and the amount of mussels.

#3 Check steam
When the steam is pouring out from under the lid of the pot for 15 seconds, they are done!

#4 Serve
Let rest 1 minute and then tip the contents into a bowl and serve with some fresh crusty bread for dipping in the wonderful broth– it’s that simple!

Beyond steaming
Although steamed is most famous way of serving mussels, you can also be simmered or steamed open and then added to pasta dishes. You can also pan roast them or grill them during the summer.