If you are intimidated by the idea of cooking mussels, you are not alone. But it is easy, really. And these tasty bivalves are highly nutritious: they are a great source of protein (ounce for ounce, ...

Most people haven’t cooked many — if any — mussels in their lifetimes. Just the sight of that little cluster of blue-black shells is sometimes enough to send one scurrying back toward more familiar ...

When Sergio Herman was growing up, escaping mussels was almost out of the question. The Michelin-starred chef was born and bred in Oud Sluis, the now-defunct but world-renowned seafood restaurant ...

Place the thyme, parsley and bay leaf on a square of cheesecloth; tie together the corners of the cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni. Wash the mussels. Sort through them and throw out any dead ones.

The best thing about a meal of steamed mussels is the sauce left at the bottom of the bowl. Yes, I adore the bivalves themselves — those sweet, saline nuggets plucked out of their blue-black shells.

In fact, it is such an accommodating dish that it does not demand constant attention either. Cook your spices and protein, ...