Anthony Bourdain was in Spain, fishing cockles out of what looked to us like a tin of murky dishwater, explaining that some of the world’s best and most expensive seafood comes in a can.

And while plenty of the best tinned fish brands are based in Portugal and Spain, for whom high-quality canned seafood is a specialty, others are bringing the practice home to North America.

Perhaps best known as a topping on pizza ... are usually steamed or used as an ingredient in various recipes. Canned mussels are normally preserved in oil, brine, or sauces.