Mussels are a delicacy and a healthy product containing natural high-quality protein, which is equal in amino acid content to a chicken egg. In addition, mussels contain more than 30 minerals and trace elements, so in order to maintain the nutritional value of this product, you need to learn how to properly cook mussels. You can make soups, pilafs, salads and stews from mussels; they are salted, pickled, boiled, fried in batter, cooked over a fire and smoked.
This dish is served with rice, potatoes, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and herbs - peeled or in shells. The mussels taste very tender, pleasant, sweet and salty, but most importantly, they are low-calorie (80 calories per 100 grams of meat), so they can be eaten in any quantity without fear for a slim figure. Now let's try to understand how to cook mussel meat according to all the rules.
It's no secret that mussels, along with shrimp, are one of the most popular seafood in Russia. The tender meat of these mollusks is perfect for preparing a wide variety of dishes.
- Experts say that good mussels should smell only of the sea, and if there are foreign odors or an unpleasant odor, then the product is spoiled.
- The shells of molluscs must be tightly closed.
- Quality frozen mussels are usually light yellow in color, with no cracks on the surface of the ice. The presence of such defects indicates that the mussels have already been thawed, and, therefore, have lost their beneficial properties.
- Large mussels are juicier and tastier than small shellfish.
Fresh mussels. How to cook frozen mussels?
- How to cook river mussels if you just bought them at the store? Fresh seafood is cooked on the same day; in extreme cases, it can be refrigerated for a maximum of two days.
- Now let's talk about how long to cook the mussels. Tender shellfish should be boiled over high heat in salted water with seasonings: fresh - 5-7 minutes, frozen - 7-10 minutes. Sea mussels are prepared according to the same principle.
- When we cook mussels frozen without the shell, we can enhance their taste with lemon juice and white wine. If these products are mixed with garlic and herbs, you get the perfect sauce for mussels.
Sea and river mussels in shells: how to cook?
- Many housewives are interested in how to cook mussels in shells, and there are several important rules here. First, shells with cracks are removed (they should under no circumstances be eaten), then good shells should be immersed in boiling water for two minutes, open the shells, remove the shellfish and also rinse them thoroughly under running water, removing algae and sand.
- How to cook mussels in the shell? It is necessary to fill them with water, bring to a boil, drain the water and boil in new water for 10 minutes. As soon as the doors open and a delicious aroma spreads through the kitchen, the mussels are ready!
Serve the mussels hot and do not cook them for future use, as it is not recommended to reheat this dish due to the risk of poisoning. There is another important secret in cooking mussels: despite the fact that the tender meat of shellfish can be combined with any food, it is better not to mix it with anything. How to cook fresh mussels to preserve the nobility and sophistication of this dish? Serve it separately with good white wine, lemon and herbs. Be a foodie!
In the shell, what are their benefits for humans and how they can harm. Let's try to figure out whether it is possible to eat them or whether it is better to give up such a beloved delicacy. And also with what dishes can be prepared using these underwater inhabitants.
What it is?
Before we talk about how to cook mussels in a shell, we will talk about the seafood itself. It is generally accepted that this is a very useful, healthy food, containing a lot of protein, vitamins and minerals with low calorie content. Marine bivalves live in all oceans and seas, and today there are even special farms where they are grown for the food industry. The production period for shellfish takes one and a half years. This is exactly how long it takes for seafood to grow to marketable size.
They sell mussels in shells; the recipe for preparing them involves using only tightly closed shellfish, without damaging the hard shell. They should smell like the sea, this is a sure sign that the mussels are fresh. If at the end of cooking the doors remain closed, eating such seafood is strictly prohibited. In stores, shellfish are most often sold boiled and then frozen. Before cooking, they should be thawed at room temperature and be sure to smell: if the smell is foreign, the product is spoiled. If the aroma is pleasant, then you can safely cook them further.
Delicacy
In shells, we'll tell you a little later. Now let's talk about what part of the shellfish is edible. Muscle (meat part), liquid and mantle are suitable for food. This is very tender and sweetish meat. The muscle that opens and closes the valves is, in principle, not poisonous, but it is tough and tasteless.
Sea creatures are prepared in different ways: boiled, stewed, fried, baked, salted, smoked. They are included in various dishes, and are also an independent dish or snack. Mussels that have undergone heat treatment must be eaten immediately; they cannot be stored or reheated: this is fraught with poisoning. Only short-term heat treatment is allowed before opening the doors, and then quick freezing: seafood can be stored this way for three months.
Several recipes
Now it's time to tell you how to cook mussels in a shell. The easiest way is to boil them. For 1 kg of shellfish you need to take a liter of water, the juice of one lemon, salt and other spices to taste. The seafood is thoroughly washed, the shells are cleaned of limestone deposits, suckers, sand and algae. If the valves are found to be slightly open, the mussels are mercilessly thrown away. Boil water with spices and lemon juice, pour it over the clams so that the shells are not covered. Keep on fire for no more than five minutes and remove.
Recipe No. 2: mussels in sauce. For a kilogram of seafood you will need:
- one lemon;
- 80 ml vegetable oil (preferably olive);
- five cloves of garlic;
- herbs and spices to taste.
The washed and sorted mollusks are poured with boiling water and heated until the valves open slightly, after which they are removed. While the mussels are cooking, prepare the sauce: place the garlic cloves in the heated oil until a slight aroma appears. Then we take out the cloves and lower the seafood without the top flap. Squeeze lemon there, add chopped herbs and spices. Simmer under the lid for no more than seven minutes. Sprinkle the finished dish with lemon juice. You can boil mussels in water with white wine (1:1). Then the dish acquires a spicy taste and a light aroma of summer.
Third way. It is very easy to cook mussels in shells in the oven according to the French recipe. The ingredients are still the same: a kilogram of shellfish, spices and salt to taste, fresh herbs, lemon juice and hot chili pepper. So, we wash and sort the seafood, clean the shells. Now place them on a baking sheet, frying pan or hot coals and fry for 10-15 minutes. Next, transfer them to a plate, sprinkle with lemon juice, sprinkle with herbs and pepper. You can eat them with wine or beer, or without anything. Bon appetit!
Benefits and harms
So, the reader already knows how to cook mussels in a shell. Now it’s time to dwell on the benefits and harms of these delicious seafood.
Their benefit lies in the high content of nutrients - protein, mineral salts, fatty acids and amino acids, vitamins A, B, PP, B12. Eating mussels has a positive effect on the thyroid gland, nervous system, blood circulation, and helps remove toxins from the body.
The danger of shellfish is that they may contain poison if they were grown in the wrong conditions. There may also be sand deep in the tissues, which negatively affects tooth enamel when consumed.
Contraindications
We figured out how to cook mussels in shells, now let’s find out if everyone can eat them. In principle, everyone can eat this seafood. There are two exceptions: when there is an individual intolerance or allergy, and also if a person suffers from bleeding disorders. If there are no contraindications, you should still eat mussels in moderation, especially if you have not been accustomed to such food since childhood.
Once upon a time, it was believed that mussels were a poor people's food, since they cost less than their “sisters” oysters, but in modern times they are a highly prized delicacy. Many different dishes are made from this seafood - you can try them in restaurants or cook them yourself at home. In every shopping center you should be able to find fresh or frozen mussels without any problems.
A little information
Mussels, like oysters, belong to the family of bivalve mollusks. They are especially common in shallow coastal ocean waters, where these mollusks grow attached to rocks. A necessary condition for the life of mussels is clean and not stagnant water. Nowadays, mussels are grown on special “farms”. This, of course, is not like a traditional farm: poles are dug into the coastal zone of the sea, to which ropes are tied. It is on these ropes, at a depth of 2-5 meters, that the mussels grow. But as mentioned above, you can’t dig these pillars anywhere - mussels need clean, not stagnant water, which contains a lot of plankton, which the mussels feed on by filtering the water.
This interesting and simple process, according to some sources, was invented by Irish sailors in 1234, and according to others, by the French. People engaged in artificial cultivation of mussels are not located in any one region - they are scattered throughout the world. True, most mussels are grown by the Spaniards, and New Zealand also exports a large amount of this seafood. Currently, about 1.4 million tons of mussels are grown worldwide each year.
In order for mussels to reach the desired size and become suitable for human consumption, they must grow for about 18 months, so the process is not very fast. Mussel shells come in a variety of colors, from deep blue to golden green. But on special farms, only dark blue or black mussels are usually grown, since they have a delicate taste, they are moderately salty and sweet. The best mussels are harvested from mid-June to the end of February, but those collected in April and May are not fat enough and therefore not as tasty.
Useful properties of mussels
Mussels are not only famous for their delicate taste, but also for their beneficial substances. They contain a lot of proteins, mineral salts, phosphorus, iron and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C. According to nutritionists, there is even more protein in mussel meat than in veal or fish meat. In addition, despite the fact that mussel meat contains so many different useful substances, it is low in calories, so these seafood can also be enjoyed by those who watch their body lines. Mussel meat, as a dietary product, is recommended for those who complain of atherosclerosis, diabetes, anemia, as well as for the elderly.
Mussels are most often sold fresh or processed - peeled, cooked, frozen or canned. If you bought live, unpeeled mussels, first wash them thoroughly in running water, using a sharp knife to clean the shells from adhering dirt, remnants of aquatic plants, etc. Still, mussels grow for 18 months and during this time the shells become covered with sand and silt. It will be unpleasant to feel the creak of sand on your teeth after cooking this delicacy. By the way, you can also use a toothbrush to clean sinks. It is also necessary to tear off the so-called “beards” located at the connection of the valves.
Another important point is that you must check whether the mussels are alive. It is done this way. You need to immerse the mussels in cold water and hold for 20 minutes. Good, that is, living, mussels should drown. If they float on the surface, then something is wrong with them, it is better to throw them away. Another feature is that good mussels should have closed shells. If the shells are open, you can knock on them, and they should immediately close. If they don’t close, you can safely throw these mussels away too. After all the mussels have been washed and selected, you can begin to cook them. By the way, seafood does not like to wait long; it must be cooked as quickly as possible while it is fresh (best on the day of purchase). You can still eat them the next day, but the day after tomorrow you will have to throw them away. Until the time of cooking, mussels should be kept in the refrigerator.
Mussels are served in different ways. They can be peeled (without shells) - only meat is served, especially if the mussels are combined with other products or cooked as a sauce. It is very popular to serve mussels as they are, without changes - in shells. Then everyone takes them with their hands, holds the shell with one hand, and scoops out the meat with the other hand using a fork. Mussels in shells are also added to soups - they improve the taste of the broth.
Preparing mussels is easy and simple. The most popular way is to simmer in water or white wine with seasonings (garlic, lemon, parsley, bay leaf). There is no need to pour a lot of water or wine into the pan, just to the very bottom, because the shells contain quite a lot of water, which is released during cooking. The mussels do not take long to cook - over high heat it only takes a couple of minutes for the shells to open (this means that the mussels are ready). By the way, if some shells did not open during cooking, they should not be eaten either.
Fresh mussels, like oysters, can be eaten unboiled by adding lemon juice. But it’s better to leave this method of consuming this wonderful seafood to gourmets; we still recommend boiling them. Or grill it. It's also very tasty. The principle is the same - fry until the shells open.
If you bought frozen mussels, then all you need to do is defrost them at room temperature or in warm water, rinse them under running water and that’s it. After this you can prepare your dish. Most likely, your frozen mussels will already be cooked, so you don't need to do anything.
Combinations with other products
Mussels are often used to prepare various soups, which can be based on a broth made from these shellfish. When you are going to prepare snacks, salads or main courses from mussels, some chefs recommend keeping them for 15-20 minutes in a closed saucepan, into which you need to pour a little water and milk along with chopped onions, allspice and bay leaves. Professional chefs are happy that the meat of these seafood goes well with other products, vegetables, and low-fat mayonnaise.
By frying mussels with various additives, for example, vegetables, various grains - rice, couscous, seasonings, tomato sauce, etc., you can prepare many dishes - from the simplest to the most intricate. For example, the Spaniards, when preparing their famous paella, very rarely do without mussels. Sometimes in a ready-made dish, mussels are served with shells - in this way adding more exoticism to the dish, and sometimes only the meat itself is used.
A couple more interesting facts:
- 100 grams of mussels contain 9.48 mg of protein. More than veal or fish meat.
- The calorie content of mussels is 51.42 calories per 100 grams.
- From 1 kilogram of mussels you will get 180 grams of pure meat.
And now we offer you a couple of excellent recipes for cooking mussels that you can easily use at home.
Ingredients:
- Pack of spaghetti
- 0.5 kg fresh mussels
- Glass of dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Spoon of pesto sauce with basils
- Spoon of chopped greens
- A jar of tomatoes canned in their own juice
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A handful of grated Parmesan.
It is very important that the mussels are fresh. As mentioned in this article, all sinks should be closed, and if they are open, they should close immediately when you knock on them. Place the already peeled and washed mussels in a saucepan with wine (as mentioned above).
Close the pan and keep it on the fire for a while until the mussel shells open. After this, remove the mussels from the pan, and leave the mussel juice that was released during heating and heat it again until it thickens. Then pour this liquid into a bowl and mix with pesto sauce, grated Parmesan, chopped garlic and herbs to form a thick mass.
Place the cooked spaghetti in heat-resistant bowls and top with a spoonful of butter and canned tomatoes along with the mussel shells. Inside each shell, add the thick mass that we prepared before, and place the entire bowl in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. Serve with lemon.
You can, of course, cook pasta with mussels without shells, using only meat, as in this video. Bon appetit!
Another pasta option or how to cook frozen and peeled mussels
You probably noticed that this entire article and our first recipe are devoted to cooking live mussels, but many do not have the opportunity to purchase live seafood and they have a question, how to cook frozen mussels? Everything is extremely simple. We offer you an excellent pasta recipe.
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice
- About 200 grams of frozen and peeled mussels
- 200 grams sweet cream
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Small piece of butter
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Ground pepper
- Thyme
Take spaghetti or other pasta of your choice and cook in salted water. While the pasta is cooking, wash the previously defrosted mussels, dry them and fry them in oil with garlic juice. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan with the mussels, pour cream over everything, sprinkle with thyme and add soy sauce. Simmer the whole mixture over low heat until the cream begins to thicken. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with pepper before serving. That's all. Bon appetit!
Ingredients (for 2 people):
- 1.5 kilograms of fresh mussels
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 glass of white wine
- A can of canned tomatoes in its juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- A pinch of freshly ground pepper
Again, the mussels need to be cleaned and washed. We have already described how to do this above. Take a deep saucepan with a thick bottom and fry chopped garlic in olive oil. After this, add canned tomatoes, paprika, and simmer it all for a couple of minutes. Then add wine, pepper and simmer for another couple of minutes. When the sauce begins to thicken, add the peeled mussels, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the mussel shells open.
When the mussels are ready, place them on a plate. As for the sauce, if it remains liquid (this depends on how much liquid was in the mussels), you can evaporate the water over high heat until the sauce becomes thick. By the way, we recommend trying the sauce and deciding whether to add salt to it, since there is often enough salt in the liquid that the mussels secrete. Pour the prepared sauce over the mussels and serve with a slice of lemon or French loaf.
For two servings you will need:
- 1 kilogram of fresh or frozen mussels
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Half an onion
- 1 celery root
- Half a pepper
- 1 tomato
- 60 grams butter
- 150 ml dry white wine
- Juice from half a lemon
- Salt, pepper, chili pepper
- French loaf
Cooking time: half an hour.
First we prepare fresh vegetables. Cut the garlic, onion, fresh pepper, celery and tomato into as small cubes as possible. Before cutting the garlic, crush it with a knife - this way you will get a stronger flavor.
Fry the prepared vegetables in a saucepan. To make it tastier, we use butter for frying. When it melts, add the chopped vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like it spicy, we recommend adding a little chili pepper.
When the vegetables have softened, add white wine and squeeze the juice from half a lemon. While the sauce simmers, the alcohol evaporates and only the taste of the wine remains.
In the end, we put the thawed mussels in the pan and simmer a little more until the water that comes out of the mussels evaporates and the vegetables soften, but do not disintegrate.
If you are using fresh mussels, simmer until the mussels open, and then for another 5-6 minutes. If your mussels are frozen, then you need to simmer for a total of 5 minutes. The most important thing is not to simmer for too long, as the mussels will begin to fall out of the shells.
Place the cooked mussels in a bowl or deep plate and pour over the wine and vegetable sauce. You can dip French loaf in it.
Parsley is very suitable for decoration, but if you don’t have it, you can use green onions or other greens. Chilled white wine goes well with this dish.
Mussels are not only a delicious delicacy, but also a very healthy product, which consists of high-quality natural protein, equal in amino acid content to a chicken egg. Shellfish also contain more than 30 trace elements and minerals, therefore, in order to preserve the nutritional value of this product, you should learn how to prepare it correctly.
However, first, let's take a look at what dishes can be prepared from this valuable product. Thanks to their very delicate sweet and salty taste, as well as low calorie content, mussels have gained wide popularity in the kitchens of many countries around the world.
The surprisingly tender and tasty meat of these mollusks is great for preparing a wide variety of dishes. Pilaf, salads, stews, and soups are prepared from mussels. Mussels are fried in batter, smoked, cooked over a fire, boiled, salted and pickled. They go great with potatoes, pasta, rice, fish, meat, fruits, vegetables and herbs.
We have selected especially for you the simplest tips on how to cook mussels at home:
Fresh shellfish smell only of the sea. If there is an unpleasant odor or any other foreign odors, this means that the product is spoiled. When choosing mollusks in shells, you should pay attention to whether their valves are tightly closed. If you buy frozen peeled mussels, look at their color - it should be light yellow. Also pay attention to whether there are cracks on the surface of the shellfish, which indicate that these mussels have either already been thawed or were stored incorrectly, so they have not only lost their beneficial properties, but may also be harmful to health. It is also important to know that large mussels are much tastier and juicier than their small counterparts.
It is important to know that fresh shellfish should be cooked on the day they are purchased; in extreme cases, mussels can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of several days. Before you start cooking shelled mussels, they should be thoroughly washed to remove sand and other contaminants. If you purchased shellfish in shells, you need to wash them very thoroughly, and also remove open shells and shells with cracks - they are not edible, in principle, just like those that do not open during the cooking process. Then everything depends on your imagination and taste preferences. The main thing is not to overcook the shellfish (cleaned mussels are cooked for about five minutes, and clams in the shells - until the shells open), and also do not get carried away with strong sauces and seasonings, otherwise you will overwhelm the delicate taste of the sea. The ideal sauce for ready-made mussels is a mixture of lemon juice, white wine, herbs and garlic.
Frozen clams are just as easy to prepare as fresh ones. To begin, the mussels should be thawed and then rinsed thoroughly. Determining the readiness of shellfish is also quite easy: peeled frozen mussels are cooked for about seven minutes, and shellfish in shells - until the shells open. The only difference is that the mussels in the shells must be brought to a boil, and then drained and boiled in new water until the shells open (about 10 minutes).
It is advisable to serve mussels hot, since cooled shellfish lose a significant part of their taste.
You should not cook shellfish for future use, as due to the high risk of poisoning, it is not recommended to reheat this dish and store it for a long time.
There is an important nuance in the preparation of this seafood product: despite the fact that juicy mussel meat goes well with almost any food, it is better to serve it solo. To emphasize the taste and at the same time maintain the sophistication of this dish, you can complement it with lemon, herbs and good white wine.
Bon appetit!
Mussels are extremely healthy, tender and delicious shellfish. Dishes with mussel meat can be found in the cuisines of many countries. Rich in vitamins and minerals, healthy mussels strengthen the immune system and stimulate metabolism. There are many cooking options - they are boiled, stewed in sauces, fried in oil, prepared in salads and snacks. In countries far from the sea coast, few people know how to properly prepare fresh mussels; the easiest and most nutritious way is in shells.
To cook fresh mussels in shells, you will need:- Mussels in shells, always fresh – 1 kg;
- Water – 1 l;
- Salt and spices;
- Juice of 1 lemon.
- Mussels in shells – 1 kg;
- Lemon – 1 piece;
- Olive oil – 80 ml;
- Garlic – 5 cloves;
- Salt, spices;
- Greens – dill, parsley.
Mussels are an easy to prepare, nutritious, tasty and aromatic seafood product. They are most often served in Belgium, where it is a national dish. When combined with cold wine, shellfish turn into a delicate delicacy.
