Besides steaming them open, what else can you do with mussels? And what’s the best sauce or side to accompany them? Liz, London It’s so tempting to default to steaming, I know, but there’s so much more you can do with mussels. One option is to cook them in a sauce, perhaps to serve with pasta, which works especially well if you head off in a tomato and fresh herb direction, though they’re also great with just garlic, chilli and parsley. I also love taking mussels down an Asian route, cooking them in coconut milk and any or all of lemongrass, Thai basil, makrut lime leaves, chilli and ginger. Rice is another great option, with the mussels served on top in a broth spiked with those Asian flavourings or cooked in a Spanish paella with saffron and chilli. They’re also lovely in a soup or stew, especially bouillabaisse-style. As for sides, wilted greens are hard to beat – samphire, say, for even more beside-the-seaside vibes – but in truth I usually find it hard to look much beyond the time-honoured pairing of crusty baguette or salty fries (especially with moules marinière). For something completely different, however, I love to batter and fry mussels, and serve them with a squeeze of lemon as a snack or starter. Steam them open in a lager broth, then take them out of their shells. Mix some flour, chilli, a bit of bicarb and seasoning, then stir in an egg yolk and more lager to make a spiced batter. Dip the mussels one by one in the batter, then fry in batches for three or four minutes – they’re ridiculously good. That said, mussels are also brilliant served Provence-style, steamed open, topped with breadcrumbs flavoured with parsley and gruyère, and grilled until golden.