These little molluscs have a bluish-black shell and yellow-orange meat. Low in calories and rich in iodine, mussels are the ideal dish for filling up on protein, calcium and iron. Bouchot mussels are one of many types of mussel. The season for mussels is from July to January. Brittany is the second largest mussel farming region, behind Normandy. Mussel farmers catch larval mussels naturally on ropes made of natural and biodegradable fibre. They are then wound around wooden stakes, also called bouchots.
This way, the mussels are out of reach of crabs and other predators. Each bouchot stake can hold up to 80 kg of mussels. The shell of the bouchot mussel is at least 12mm thick and no more than 8 cm long.
It does not contain sand or parasites. Use around g per person for a main course. When purchasing, choose shells that are closed or that respond to finger pressure. You need to clean them to remove the byssus a filament that allows the mussel to attach itself to hard surfaces and any small shellfish that might have taken up residence on their shell.
The mussels open within 5 minutes. Just eat with your fingers or a shell! Uncooked mussels can be kept for 48 hours in the refrigerator. Already-cooked mussels can be enjoyed as tapas the following day.
To be sure of their freshness, one tip is to put them in water for 10 minutes. Any that float up to the surface must not be eaten.
