Time to flex your mussels

Reported January 17, 2009

Cut costs in the kitchen by shelling out on a simple, tasty dish

These are tough times and, if you are running a household with hungry mouths to feed, one of the first areas where you can start cutting costs is on the weekly food shop.

Unfortunately for organic box schemes, farmers' markets and farm shops, people have decided to start cutting back on buying local fruit and vegetables, despite the fact that studies carried out by the think-tank the New Economics Foundation suggest that they are consistently cheaper outside supermarkets.

A simple, easy way to save money is by going back to basics. Butchers at the Rungis food market outside Paris have reported a huge rise in the demand for cheap cuts of meat. Some may scoff at our neighbours over the water but they have plenty of savvy in the kitchen.

Armed with a culture that is steeped in a healthy appreciation of food, most of the French still know delicious, simple ways to cook livers, kidneys, breasts of lamb, sweetbreads, ham hocks and trotters - inexpensive cuts of delicious and good quality meat.
On the Continent many families wouldn't dream of eating meat more than two or three times a week. Celeriac soups, rich bean stews, lardon-studded lentil dishes, steaming mussels in white wine, cheese soufflés and herby omelettes feed many happy families.

Mussels, coley and pollock are all excellent sources of protein, delicious, sustainable and not too expensive (1kg of mussels costs £3.80 at Tesco). Asian steamed mussels (see recipe above right) are child's play to cook and fill the kitchen with aromatic smells that transport you instantly to a faraway place. The aniseed flavour of the tarragon and the fresh citrus scent of lemongrass perfectly complement the rich, meaty flavour of the mussels. Have it with chunks of bread to mop up the juices, or serve on a bed of noodles. Mussels are glorious at this time of year and, being farmed, are also wonderfully sustainable.

I have suggested using rapeseed oil in this recipe since it is produced in this country and is becoming more readily available. It lacks the flavour of olive oil but is extremely healthy.