Spring tides, a very long weekend and a ray of sunshine: here it is, the perfect recipe for picking mussels with onions! The tidal coefficients are strong this week, they rise again this Thursday to 101 on our coasts. The Northerners were not mistaken, many took advantage of the low tide to fill their buckets, it is possible again in certain areas since the end of April.
Look for the least “mangy” ones
Squatting in the middle of the rocks of Langue de chat, in Ambleteuse, Lili and Noémie are very focused on their mission : “You have to draw the cluster, and sort it afterwards. We pull the tab, and we see if they are big or small“, explain the two sisters, who came from Calais as a family.
Right next door, Freddie also came with the whole family. He describes his technique to us : “On the surface in general, they are quite dirty, so we look for the least scabby ones, in the hollows, those which are the cleanest“, he explains, scraping the shells with his knife to remove the barnacles.
Alice Marot
These gestures were taught to him by his grandparents. Because here, the mussels, it’s a family affair. This is also what motivates Mathis: “When I was little, I always went mussel fishing with my grandpa, it was so good. I like to get what I eat!“, says the young man, his bucket already full at his feet.
At the age of 17, he already masters the recipe : “We brown the onions with olive oil, then deglaze with a little white wine. We put the mussels in the hot pan, add 3 large glasses of water, and then, as soon as they open, it’s ready!“Last advice from the young man:”With thyme and rosemary, it’s better!“Without forgetting, of course, the good fries of the North.
Some rules to respect
To deserve this good meal, you still have to follow a few rules. “I advise you to take your time and pick up the biggest ones.“, recalls Hugues Seillier, one of the last mussel farmers to cultivate mussels”flat“, on the rocks of Ambleteuse.
Minimum size for a mold: 4 centimeters. Individuals must limit themselves to 5 kilos per personthe equivalent of a small bucket.
To preserve the resource, the prefecture authorizes or prohibits collection depending on the deposits. At the moment, fishing is open in those of Audinghen, Audresselles, and certain areas of Ambleteuse, Wimereux, and Portel.
