precooking mussels (a little)

As noted in the Valentine's Day thread, I'm making a dish with curried mussels.

Since the de-shelling of mussels isn't exacty the most romantic thing to be doing in front of a guest, would it make a huge difference if I cooked them maybe 30 mins prior to combining them back w/ the rest of the ingredients ? Would they take on the texture of a fossilized superball ?

Happy Cooking !

I wouldn't.

Plus, I thought pulling mussels from the shell was the romantic part. I'd consider leaving the critters intact. But I'm freaky like that.

You really should not deshell them prior to cooking. Debeard them - yes (removing the bushy stringy thing from the shell crack) but leaving them in the shell makes the dish look and taste better! And besides, you won't damage the mussels trying to remove them as you would prior to cooking.

As I said before, the dish will taste better, look better and is not that difficult to eat (and it is fun) with the shells on.

I have never heard of a mussel dish with the shells removed prior. Don't do it!

they are going to be cooked in the shells. The recipe calls for removing them then combining them back with the juices and sauteed vegetables.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/159/recipe_2.jsp

If you were to do it a half hour before as you mentioned, left them at room temp. and put them back into the very hot liquid for a few minutes you would be find.

I've had pre-cooked mussels in seafood salads, and in soups that the broth is then poured over (a delicious notable one at MK years ago, with chiles and basil in the center of the bowl).

Depending on how long your hold time is, I might refrigerate them.