Grilled Garlic Mussels

1 Put the scrubbed and still-wet mussels in a saucepan with the water, bay leaves and lemon peel. Cover the pan and set it over a medium heat. Cook mussels until they steam open, then transfer to a bowl with tongs. Open each mussel, discarding one half of the shell, and check inside for traces of beard or small crabs, which should be removed.

2 Put the butter in a small frying pan (skillet) with the shallots and cook gently for 7-10 minutes, until tender and lightly golden. Add garlic, cook a minute, then add parsley, lemon juice, panko crumbs or breadcrumbs and black pepper.

3 Smear a little of the mixture on each mussel, and transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish. The mussels can be prepared ahead to this point; keep covered at room temperature for up to one hour, or keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours, but bring to room temperature before grilling.

4 To finish off, put the mussels under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes or until they are sizzling and golden. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

To make sure the mussels are clean and grit-free, scrub them under running water with a stiff brush, then pull off the beards (the hairy bit); if the beards won’t come free, they can be pulled out after cooking. Transfer mussels to a large bowl and fill with cold water. Stir them around, lift out and put in a clean bowl. Repeat the process until the water is clear and grit-free. Leave the mussels to soak for 15 minutes in fresh water, then cook as described.

After cooking, put the mussels in their half-shells on a tray or plate. If there are no juices pooling in the mussel shells, strain the cooking juices through muslin or paper towels and anoint the mussels with the juices (don’t drown them, just enough to keep them moist and to stop them drying when under the grill).