Mussels have all the theatre of oysters without the price tag. They’re sweet like scallops, but harder to overcook, and have no clammy shell grit to purge. They’re a mollusc with plenty of shell-confidence! And, with a mirepoix (a French-style base of sauteed onion, carrot and celery) under your belt, you’ll have a confidence boost too, with a classic flavour builder for midweek.
You can usually pick up a kilo of mussels for under $10, which is great bang-for-buck. A good rule of thumb is 500g of mussels per eater, as much of the weight is in the shell. They’re super sustainable, earning a “better choice” nod from Australia’s Good Fish guide, since their farming process requires no additional inputs, and can even help cleanse coastlines and waterways. They’re speedy too; you can bang out a mussel meal in as long as it takes to prepare the rest of the ingredients.
