Remove the 'beard' and one shell from each ... as long as they sit in the cooking liquid. Check that all the mussels are tightly closed and wash well in several changes of water.

Mussels need very little cooking. Place them in the bottom of a large, heavy-based pan with a small amount of liquid and turn up the heat to steam them. As soon as the shells start gaping open ...

When you're looking for an elegant meal that's easy to cook, you can't go wrong with clams and mussels. But you may be ...