Mussels

Mussels with White Beans and Chorizo

F&W Best New Chef 1996 Michael Schlow adds white beans and smoky chorizo to mussels for a hearty, substantial meal.

• Perfecting Mussels

Steamed Mussels with Tomato-and-Garlic Broth

Mussels have three things going for them: They're cheap, quick to cook, and delicious. Using clean farmed mussels negates their one big drawback—the tedious chore of scrubbing and debearding.

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Creamed Mussels on the Half Shell

• Delicious Appetizers

Fennel Mussels with Piquillo Rouille

Before Chris Kronner makes this dish, he forages mussels from the nearby coast. "You have to climb down a 75-foot rock face on a rickety ladder; it's intense," he says.

• F&W's Fish and Seafood Guide

Cavatelli with Mussels, Lillet and Dill

The perfect match for this creamy cavatelli-and-mussels dish: Muscadet, a coastal wine that's superb with shellfish.

• Perfecting Mussels

Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup with Steamed Mussels

There are many versions of bread soup; this one, based on traditional peasant fare, is as thick as a bread pudding. The soup is delicious on its own, but we think the steamed mussels with their broth make a wonderful addition.

• Fish and Seafood Cooking Guide

Fragrant Gigante Beans with Garlic Confit and Mussels

Mussels are lean, but the huge hunks of bread and french fries they're usually served with are very caloric. Chef Michael Psilakis cleverly serves his mussels with fiber-rich beans instead to sop up the delicious juices.

Broiled Mussels with Hot Paprika Crumbs

A sparkling white wine would be great with these crispy, buttery mussels from Marcia Kiesel.

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Chile-Steamed Mussels with Green Olive Crostini

• Sustainable Seafood

Pancetta-Wrapped Mussels with Basil

Crispy, briny and juicy, these ingenious mussels are a simple and unexpected fall dish; they're just as delicious roasted or grilled. Threading the shelled mussels onto skewers makes them easier to handle.

• Dinner Party Recipes

Mussels Fra Diavalo

F&W contributing editor Andrew Zimmern recommends using plump, wild Mediterranean mussels from Maine or Penn Cove mussels from the Pacific Northwest in this recipe. Simple and elegant, it’s a classic summer dish that is best served with lots of crusty bread for dipping.

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Angel Hair Pasta with Squid, Mussels and Zucchini

• Delicious Pasta Recipes

Tagliatelle with Mussels and Tarragon

This simple, strikingly black-and-white seafood pasta gets a double hit of anise flavor from Pernod and fresh tarragon.

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Mussel Soup

With garlic, fennel, tomatoes, and a bit of orange zest, this soup has a nice Provençal feeling. And with cultivated mussels, which barely need to be cleaned, it's a snap to prepare. If you can't find mussels, try a fairly firm white fish, such as cod, instead—the soup will be different, but equally good.

• Soups for Every Season

Mussel-and-White-Bean Stew

• Simple, Fast Recipes

Curried Cod and Mussels

Alain Ducasse cooks mussels, then removes the top half of each shell before serving them with haddock and a curry sauce with mussel jus. Home cooks can serve the mussels with both of their shells and replace the haddock with easier-to-find cod.

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Curried Mussels in White Ale

"I first made these mussels for Thanksgiving two years ago," says Sang Yoon. "I don't make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner—I cook outside the box and call it Sangsgiving ABT (Anything But Turkey). The mussels were such a hit, I put them on the menu at Father's Office." Adding creamy white ale to the intense curry broth helps mellow the flavors.

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Mussels with Black Bean and Chile Sauce

Australian star chef Neil Perry loves the complex combination of Asian flavors in this dish: salty fermented beans, hot chiles and sweet, briny mussels.

• Dinner Party Recipes

Cioppino with Mussels

Andrew Zimmern packs his version of cioppino, the classic Italian-American fish stew, with incredible tomato flavor and lots of succulent seafood.

• Italian Seafood Recipes

Mussel-and-Spinach Bisque

Seafood is an opulent start to Thanksgiving dinner, especially in this briny bisque studded with big, plump mussels and spinach.

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Mussels Steamed in Tomato Broth with Goat Cheese

Mussel and tomato juice and celery seeds make a delicious broth to accompany steamed mussels. Look for farmed mussels; they're clean, so you'll only have to scrub them briefly.

• Perfecting Mussels