Mussels on River Cottage

[sxmolloy]

I just caught part of a River Cottage programme on More 4 tonight. Part of the episode showed HFW collecting muscels with friends at Exmouth.

Once he got them home he had them in a bucket and added salt and something else to feed the muscles.

Later that day they were cooked under pine cone needles. Can anyone link me to that particular episode on the Channel 4 website? I have no idea which series it was, if I had I could find it easily.

Failing that, if anyone else saw it can you remember the salt to litres of water ratio and what he fed the muscles to "clean" the sand and grit out?

All help much appreciated.

Stu

 

[chas brookes]

Hi
this info may be what you are after

River Cottage
Season 2 Episode 2 of 4
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall deals with a rabbit invasion in his garden by bringing in two warreners, and takes his children to Devon to look for wild mussels with French teacher Nathalie Arnold and her family. He also meets a London man who makes wine in his backyard and receives help from his local Women's Institute to get rabbits back on the British menu

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/river-cottage/4od#3082573

 

[v-ness]

I remember that episode. He used Oatmeal to feed them, but cant remember his salt/water ratio sorry.

We usually scrub the little mollusks etc off, and the beard. Soak them for about 1 hour in approx 1/2 cup salt mixed with a nearly full bucket of water, put the mussels in and sprinkle a little oatmeal, porridge etc on top. Then pick the mussles out the bucket- dont tip the mussels out or the grit on the bottom gets back in.

Some people just soak them for about 20 mins in fresh water- guess theres different ways

Love Mussels!!

Cheers Ness

 

[sxmolloy]

Got it, many thanks

 

[Ketchup]

sxmolly: the salt to water ratio for seawater is 30grams/liter (not critical to the gram, though). But you cannot keep them very long this way, an night or so max.

 

[wattsy]

just use seawater thats how i've always done it make sure you check whether the mussels are safe to eat with locals no pollution in the water etc stick them in a bucket of seawater overnight with a bit of oatmeal to make them filter feed then bobs you're uncle