One of the reasons why I love Greece so much is the quality of seafood. I truly believe it’s hard to find another place that has such an abundance of delicious fruits de mer! And of course, summer and seafood go hand in hand! You almost can’t imagine the one without the other. Whenever you think of vacations, regardless of whether you’re a local or a tourist, you certainly dream of a small tavern by the beach and a big seafood platter on the table.

The Mediterranean hosts an incredibly huge variety of fish and shellfish and despite the general ocean pollution that affects marine ecosystems and cause irreparable implications to marine life, Greece is still blessed with great quality of seafood.

Summer loves all types of seafood because they’re light, low in calories –a perfect option for a healthy diet- and delicious! I can’t think of a more suitable companion for a glass of Assyrtiko wine at warm summer nights. They don’t require a long cooking time and many of them can be consumed raw. All you need to do is find a trustworthy fishmonger who will be attentive to you and will always recommend buying the right seafood at the right time.

Summer isn't over just yet, so the timing is perfect for a mussel recipe! We have a real soft spot for mussels and shellfish in general in our home. And summer is the season when they appear on our table quite regularly. There’s a list of mussel recipes that we love but our all-time favourite is Steamed Mussels or Mussels Marinière! It’s a classic recipe featuring sautéed mussels with spring onion and garlic, simmered in white wine. The dish is usually served with a bowl of fresh fried, thin-sliced potatoes! Heavenly!

The recipe originates in Western Europe where it’s still very popular. It’s a classic French recipe but it’s almost considered a Belgian national dish. It’s very common in many countries and can probably be found in any seaside area in several variations. I tried it for the first time in Dalmatia when I was a kid but also found it in many seaside areas in England, where my daughter studied. It was our favourite thing to do, a night out for mussels and some wine! It’s definitely one of my all-time favourite dishes and I can’t help but look for it wherever I am.

Today, I’m making my own version of the recipe, the way we make it at home all these years. Changing little details to a certain dish makes me feel like I’ve created something a bit more me, a bit more à la Vesna. There’s no spring onion in my version of the recipe and in the end, along with fresh parsley, I’ve added some finely chopped, fresh tomatoes.

I personally always start with cleaning the mussels which is actually the hardest part. It can be quite messy but after doing it a couple of times, you’ll quickly find your way through it. I always start with scraping off the barnacles from the shell with a clam knife. Then, I remove the mussel “beard” by tugging it sharply toward the hinge of the shell and lastly, I use a scrub brush to wipe the mussels until they’re smooth to the touch.

Mussels are often accused of causing food poisoning and stomach disorders, which is why you need to be extra careful with them. Besides having a fishmonger that you trust, it’s useful to learn some things yourself so that you can avoid unpleasant situations. For example, you can only use unopened mussels in your cooking, the ones that are open or cracked need to be thrown away. After cooking, we can only consume the ones that have opened and discard them if they’re still closed. Another secret is to use your smell. Fresh mussels smell of the sea, there shouldn’t be any foul or unpleasant smell.

One last thing; don’t be too generous with salt. Wild mussels are the most delicious thanks to the sea water that is trapped inside their shell. I like keeping part of that water because it really adds to the flavour of the dish. Sometimes they only need a tiny bit of salt or no salt at all due to the sea water’s saltiness.

And remember that every time you enjoy your freshly cooked mussels combined with your favourite wine, you actually have a very healthy, nourishing meal. Mussels are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, phosphorus, calcium and other valuable nutrients.