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Fry until brown, about 3 minutes, then turn and continue cooking until browned on the other side, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain; if you need to make additional cakes, add more olive oil to the pan before frying them. Salt to taste before serving, remembering that the crab and mustard are salty.

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Mussels, Clams, Cockles, and Oysters

These are bivalves—that is, mollusks with a two-part shell held together by a tiny, strong muscle. Scallops, although a bivalve, are most often cooked outside their shells and thus fall into a different culinary category. For an appetizer, check out the Cold Sake-and-Ginger Mussels.

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Ten One-Pot Preparations for Mussels, Clams, or Cockles

A big pot of mussels, clams, or cockles, a few bottles of beer, and some crunchy bread—that’s dinner. While there are differences among these bivalves, they cook up in similar ways; so we’ve developed recipes that can be used with any of them. Follow the technique below, then plug the ingredients into the steps. One warning: do not mix bivalves—since they open at different times, some will turn tough from long exposure to the cooking liquid. Makes 4 main-course or 6 to 8 first-course servings (see Note)

Basic Technique

Heat the fat in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the vegetables and aromatics; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the seasonings; cook for 20 seconds.

Pour in the liquids; bring to a full simmer.

Add the bivalves—the mussels, clams, or cockles. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until opened, about 3 minutes for cockles, 6 minutes for mussels, and 8 minutes for clams. The larger the bivalve, the longer it will take to open. But do not let them cook beyond their opening or they will get tough.

Note: You can double any of these recipes, provided you have a very large stockpot; but you’ll need to lengthen the cooking times a bit to let the extra sauce come to a simmer and to cook the additional vegetables. You can also halve the yield, making a two-serving dish.

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Tips for Success

Most of the recipes have no salt because the bivalves themselves are salty. However, tastes vary, so always check for salt before serving.

These dishes come together very quickly. Have everyone and everything at the ready.

Only use fresh herbs; dried will not have enough time to soften.

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1. Mussels, Clams, or Cockles with Brandy, Apples, and Sage

Fat

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Vegetables and aromatics

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

2 tart apples, such as Granny Smiths or Macouns, peeled, cored, and chopped

Seasoning

1 tablespoon minced sage leaves

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Liquids

Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice or 2 cups vegetable broth

½ cup brandy

¼ cup heavy cream

Bivalves

4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 4 pounds clams, scrubbed; or 4 pounds cockles, scrubbed

2. Mussels, Clams, or Cockles with White Wine and Fennel

Fat

2 tablespoons olive oil

Vegetables and aromatics

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 medium fennel bulbs, fronds trimmed, bulbs trimmed and very thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Seasonings

1 tablespoon stemmed thyme

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Liquids

1½ cups dry white wine 1 cup vegetable broth

Bivalves

4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 4 pounds clams, scrubbed; or 4 pounds cockles, scrubbed

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Selecting and Handling Bivalves

Always look over mussels, clams, cockles, and oysters before you buy them. The shells should be intact, without any cracks or chips. When you get them home, look through them carefully to see if any are open. They should close when tapped or gently squeezed. If there are any that don’t, discard them.

Line a large bowl with several damp paper towels, pour the bivalves into it, and top with several more wet