The one issue for many people is the difficulty of judging if they are fresh or not, something I've seen occur with other types of seafood as well. With mussels, though, determining freshness is fairly straightforward.

Choose mussels that have a sweet, sea-like aroma, not one of ammonia. The mussels should have tightly shut shells or shells that shut tightly when the mussel is tapped or squeezed, a sign the mussel is still alive. Avoid mussels that have damaged shells or shells that do not close, a sign they are dead and should not be eaten.

When you want to cook the mussels, rinse them in cold water and pull off any beard-like material attached to their shells. Now check the mussels to ensure their shells are shut or will shut when squeezed or tapped.

Mussels take minutes to cook, whether steamed on their own in a flavoured liquid or added to a multiple-ingredient dish, such as paella. The moment the heat causes them to burst open, they are done. If they do not open, it's another sign the mussel was dead before cooking and should not be eaten.

Wild mussels are harvested in Canada, but those you'll see for sale in supermarkets are farmed mussels cultivated in waters off places such as P. E. I and B. C.

Mussels steamed in fresh tomato and basil sauce

Mussels tastily steamed in a light and flavourful combination of fresh tomato and basil. Serve with crusty bread for dunking into the sauce.

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: About 15 minutes Makes 2 to 3 servings

2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 to 2 medium garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup (50 mL) white wine

3 medium, ripe on-the-vine tomatoes, finely chopped pinch granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh basil * salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 pound fresh mussels, rinsed in cold water and cleaned of any beard-like material Heat the oil in a large, wide pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the wine, tomatoes and sugar and simmer until the tomatoes just start to fall apart and become saucy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the basil; season with salt and pepper. Add the mussels, cover, return to a simmer and cook just until they open, about 2-3 minutes. Divide the mussels among bowls. Spoon any sauce in pot over top and serve.

Chilled mussels with saffron garlic aioli

Chilled mussels topped with a garlicky, golden-hued sauce. Serve them as a summer appetizer with white or rose wine. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes

Makes 6 appetizer-sized servings For the aioli:

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) saffron threads, crumbled

1 tablespoon (15 mL) boiling water

1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise 1 medium garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cayenne pepper 1 to 2 teaspoon (5-10 mL) fresh lemon juice

* salt and white pepper to taste

1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley

Place the saffron in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and steep the saffron 5 minutes.

Mix in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate aioli until needed.

Can be made up to a day in advance of serving. For the mussels:

1 tablespoons (15 mL) olive oil

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

1 to 2 medium garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup (125 mL) white wine

1 1/2 pounds fresh mussels, rinsed in cold water and cleaned of any beard-like material 2 to 3 cups (500-750 mL) baby organic salad greens

Place the oil in large, wide pot set over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until they just open. Lift the mussels out of the pot and on to a baking sheet. Cool to room temperature. Line a serving platter with the salad greens. Twist off and discard the non-meat filled shell of each mussel. Arrange the meat-filled, half shells on the platter.

Cover, refrigerate and chill the mussels at least 1 hour before serving. Can be readied to this point several hours in advance of serving. When ready to serve, uncover the mussels, top each with a small spoonful of the aioli and enjoy.

Mussels in curry sauce with lime, ginger and cilantro

Mussels cooked in an irresistibly aromatic, creamy coconut curry sauce. Serve with warn naan bread for dunking into the sauce.

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: About 15 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 to 2 medium garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoons (15 mL) finely chopped fresh ginger

2 to 3 teaspoon (30-45 mL) mild, medium or hot curry powder 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lime juice 1 tablespoons (15 mL) golden brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh cilantro 3 pounds mussels, rinsed in cold water and cleaned of

any beard-like material.

Place the oil in a wok or large, wide pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk, lime juice and brown sugar, bring to a simmer, and simmer 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro. Add the mussels, cover, return to a simmer, and cook until they just open, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mussels to serving bowls and enjoy.