By Lauren La Rose – July 13, 2009

Chef Michael Smith is clearly mad about mussels. The Food Network host said the popular shelled seafood is not only highly versatile, but it's also among the tastiest seafood options available.

However, at first glance, Smith said they're one of those ingredients that seem a bit unapproachable - perhaps even complicated.

The Prince Edward Island resident said nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, once individuals get to know mussels, they'll actually find they're the simplest fish to cook.

"You don't have to put water in the pot; you don't have to do anything," said Smith, host of shows including "Chef at Home" and "Chef Abroad," during a recent visit to Toronto. "Just the mussels and a pot and a flame and you've got steamed mussels because they travel with their own sauce."

"They've got a ... wonderful briny juice that's locked inside the shell with the mussel. As a result, they're very easy to freestyle with."

What's more, Smith said they're not the sort of ingredient that even requires a recipe to prepare them.

He recommends selecting your liquid of choice, anything from orange juice or any other type of fruit juice, beer or wine, and pouring 250 ml (1 cup) or so into a pot.

Then, depending on tastes, home cooks may opt to add an aromatic ingredient, like an herb or spice, that they feel will work well with whichever liquid is selected.

Smith has made mussels with apple juice and mustard, and one of his favourite versions includes coconut milk and Thai curry paste.

"It's kind of like a choice from column A, a choice from column B, throw it in the pot, put the lid on, 10 minutes later you've got steamed mussels."

Smith said backyard gatherings at his home often turn into impromptu cooking sessions where everyone takes turns whipping up their own signature mussels on the barbecue burner.

"We just keep it going all night - same pot, empty it out into a bowl, everybody's over here eating this one, while the next batch is steaming away here," he said. "Very often, what I do is I'll challenge everyone in the crowd, 'OK, it's your turn, pick a liquid, pick something aromatic, put it in the pot, add the mussels, put the lid on, that's your batch."'

"Sometimes we do the guessing game, but it's more the fun; it's more the challenge of 'Just relax, they're no big deal, they're dead simple."'

Smith recommends looking for a reputable fish dealer you're comfortable buying from to get mussels, whether it's the local supermarket or fishmonger. Beyond that, the key is ensuring they pass the smell test.

"There shouldn't be an off aroma to them; they shouldn't smell strongly. In fact, if they're super-fresh, they shouldn't have any scent to them at all," he said.

Once you get them home, the first thing to be on the lookout for are dead ones.

"You're looking for mussels that are open but that won't close," Smith said. "You give them just a little gentle finger pressure. You just sort of hold the shell closed, and if it doesn't stay closed throw it out, it's dead."

"Even if you don't throw it out, it's not going to hurt you; you're going to steam it and sanitize it," he added. "It's more a flavour issue than it is a question of food safety."

Smith was recently named food ambassador for Prince Edward Island. He will again be part of Fall Flavours, an Island-wide fine food festival, where he anticipates mussels will be a big part of the festivities.

Smith said P.E.I. mussels go through a process that removes the byssal threads. These furry, brush-like threads are what the mussel uses to cling to the surface within the ocean, and the process of removing them is preserves the mussel without killing it, he said.

Since mussels stay alive for a long time out of the water they can handle the distribution chain, and travel while remaining fresh, Smith said.

When it comes time to finally dig in, Smith said it's worth remembering many connoisseurs believe that the highlight of eating mussels is the juice that stays at the bottom of the bowl. "We always serve mussels with something crisp to dip and get that juice, or sip it when you're done and drink it like a juice because it's the best part of all."

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