Mussels from Mull - more gourmet seafood dining

September 8, 2019

Mussels are cheap, easy to cook and very delicious. If you are arriving by car, you can pick up fresh mussels from Inverlussa, located just outside Craignure and cook them up in the Bunkrooms kitchen  You buy them ready to take from the tank, popping your payment in the honesty box. The mussels are grown on ropes in Loch Spelve, a lovely sea loch which has very pure water.  The mussels therefore do not require much cleaning, just give them a good rinse, debeard if necessary and discard any that remain open when tapped

Here is our favourite recipe from Nick Stein which serves 4. We can usually offer the herbs from the Achaban garden, 

1¾kg (4lb) live mussels, cleaned
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
15g (½oz) butter
1 bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves
100ml (3½fl oz) dry white wine
 A handful of parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

In a large pan, soften the garlic and shallots in the butter with the bouquet garni. Add the mussels and wine to the pan, turn up the heat, put the lid on the pan and steam them until they open for 3-4 minutes.  Give the pan a good shake every so often.

Remove from the heat, remove the bouquet garni and add the parsley. If wished you can add 120ml (4 fluid ozs) of cream at this point. Remove any mussels that haven’t opened during cooking. Spoon into large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Find out more about Inverlussa Farm on their website