Mussel Inspiration in Cooking Class

Smoked salmon with creme fraiche in savory mini cone

*part 1 in a series

Mussels are a popular appetizer, but how many people know how to cook them at home?

Recently, I attended a ‘fish cookery’ class taught by head chef Michael Ramsey. The class, filled with 29 other ‘students,’ was treated to a couple of appetizers upon arrival.

One was a sesame seared tuna with sweet chili pipettes (very fuzzy photo, so I did not include it; my apologies), and a smoked salmon with creme fraiche in a savory mini cone. Oh my. Talk about some appetizers that beguile the tastebuds!

Once everyone had sampled the appetizers, the instruction began.

One thing that I learned is not to squeeze the fresh lemon juice directly onto a piece of fish (doing so makes the fish taste too tart). The smart chef squeezes the lemon into the sauce he is preparing to go with the fish, so that the flavor is brighter and fresher.

Cleaned mussels waiting to be cooked.

The easiest dish by far was the Thai Style Mussels.

Having cleaned mussels before at home, I know it’s not difficult, it just takes some time. My cooking partner was relieved that the mussels had already been cleaned.

Once all the ingredients are prepped, the actual cooking of the mussels is quite fast.

Chopped garlic, sliced leeks, lemongrass, minced ginger, red curry paste, mirin, coconut milk, and cilantro add up to a delicious mussel dish.

Thai Style Mussels

Yes, I forgot to ‘clean up’ the plate before snapping a photo of my mussel dish.

Although the dish was a tad too spicy for my taste, I finished it anyway. It had that addictive quality to it, where you can’t help eating it even though the spiciness keeps increasing as you eat.

Have you ever cooked mussels at home?

Photos by Kelly Estes