With mussel farming in south africa accounting for approximately 50 percent of south africa’s aquaculture production, it’s not surprising that mussels are a staple of most restaurants, especially along the coast.

There are two mussel species that are commonly found in South Africa, the indigenous black mussel and the Mediterranean mussel. Around Hermanus, multitudes of black mussels can be found along the rocks that line the beaches, lurking beneath the water line. When in Hermanus, staying at the Birkenhead House will offer you an opportunity to sustainably pick some mussels with the executive chef!

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The Experience.

Mussels tether themselves loosely to rocks using silky fibers, called byssus threads, to be able to drift and absorb nutrients in the water. The best mussels are found toward the bottom of the rocks where they are under water the longest and have had the opportunity to absorb more nutrients.

Since the mussels are located beneath the water, you have to wait until the tide has gone out to get at them. If you can catch it right as it starts receding; this will give you the largest window of time to pick your mussels! Otherwise, you have to keep an eye on the water line.

When picking mussels, the goal is to always be sustainable - you want there to be plenty left when you leave. You should only pick mussels that are larger than your thumb, and you should only take what you are planning to eat. Birkenhead House has a license to pick mussels, so when you go with the executive chef, you can pick up to 25 mussels per person. Given the intimate size of the hotel, we were able to pick enough for every guest to have for lunch without getting close to the daily limit!

The Recipe.

There are a myriad of ways to prepare mussels, and the sauce is the most important part (aside from the mussels themselves). Typical mussel recipes in South Africa include garlic, lemon, cream, and white wine.

As the harvesters of our lunch, the executive chef allowed us to influence the recipe, and we requested a curry-forward sauce.

Luckily, the chef took it from there, cleaning and scrubbing the mussels, designing the recipe requested as a fusion of curry with South African influences, and preparing the final dish. As a gift for our hard work, the executive chef gifted us a copy of several mussel recipes used at the hotel. I am here to share the one he wrote for us with you! (You’ll have to pick mussels with the executive chef at Birkenhead House for the rest.)

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoon ginger. chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 large red chili, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
3 kaffir lime leaves
500 ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
800g-1kg mussels
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
Several pieces of grilled or toasted bread

Preparation

Before you cook your mussels, you’ll need to clean them. If you’ve never prepared mussels, we recommend searching for detailed instructions. Specifically, you’ll be:
- Removing the “beard” (i.e., any remaining byssus threads). Hold the threads firmly and yank toward the hinge end of the mussel - be careful as you do this because if done incorrectly, it can kill the mussel.
- Scrubbing any barnacles off the shells and overall cleaning the mussel. AND
- Soaking the mussels in cool fresh water for 20 minutes immediately prior to cooking to expel any sand or salt inside the mussel (otherwise, your mussels will be gritty).
Sautè onions, garlic, chili, and lemongrass until translucent.
Add lime leaves, coconut milk, and turmeric season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, and then set aside.
Meanwhile, steam the mussels until the open. Rinse with ice cold water.
Pass the mussels into the sauce and reheat.
Serve with a sprinkle of chopped chives and your favorite toasted or grilled bread!

We find the easiest way to eat mussels is to use a discarded shell as a pair of small tongs, grabbing and lifting the mussel out of its shell. Be sure to not eat any mussels that did not open during the cooking process (i.e., don’t pry open shells that are still closed). And don’t forget to soak up all that great sauce with your bread!