Mussel dishes are becoming more and more popular. Because they are not only tasty, but also healthy. However, how do you prepare this overseas delicacy? What subtleties do you need to know? We will talk about this in the article further.
Recipe content:
- What shellfish to buy
- How to choose seafood
- How to cook mussels correctly - secrets and subtleties
- How to cook mussel meat
- How to cook frozen mussels
- How to cook frozen mussels in shells
- Video recipes
Mussels are an exquisite delicacy that contains many health benefits. The product consists of natural high-quality protein, which is equivalent in amino acid content to chicken eggs. More than 30 minerals and trace elements are also included in the shellfish. But in order to preserve all the nutritional value of seafood, you need to learn the secrets of its preparation.
What shellfish to buy
In order to cook delicious mussels, get the maximum benefit and protect the family from serious poisoning, it is important to choose them correctly. Experts recommend purchasing freshly caught marine reptiles (caught no more than 3 hours) or frozen. If the slightest suspicion arises, then the risk is not worth it.
How to choose seafood
Fresh mussels smell exclusively of the sea. If there is an unpleasant odor and foreign odors, the product is spoiled. When choosing mollusks in shells, you need to pay attention to their valves - they must be tightly closed. Frozen peeled sea dwellers are light yellow in color. The sinks must be intact, the surface free from cracks or damage. If this is present, it means that the shellfish were thawed or stored improperly. These have already lost their beneficial properties and may not be safe for health. Bigger mussels are tastier than their smaller counterparts.
You can check live mussels or not in the following way. Immerse them in cold water and stand for half an hour. Live (good) mussels will drown, floating on the surface is not the first freshness. Another important feature is that live mussels always have closed shells. A slightly open shell of a living product - knock on it, and it will close immediately, the non-closing ones can be thrown away.
How to cook mussels correctly - secrets and subtleties
- Buy mussels in the same size. Small shells are not useful, they have little meat, somewhere about the size of a tiny pea.
- You need to defrost the shellfish in the refrigerator, putting them in a bag. Slow thawing will preserve the flavor and nutrients of the product. After, clean them, rinse and discard them in a colander.
- Blanch the mussels with boiling water for a few minutes, or steam them.
- Mussels are prepared quickly - 6-10 minutes. The shells of the sink must open after cooking. If this has not happened, then they are not fresh.
- Since mussels are a quickly perishable product, they must be cooked immediately.
- Before cooking, they must be thoroughly washed under running water and carefully scrape off small algae with a brush or knife. They must be washed to a shine.
- To be sure that sand and debris are not contained in the shellfish, they can be soaked in cold water for 4-6 hours.
- To prepare mussels, you can use the following products: vegetable oil, lemon, salt, pepper, dry white wine, lavrushka, tomato, onion, bell peppers, garlic, sour cream, carrots, cheese. As herbs and spices - celery, fennel, thyme, parsley, rosemary, cilantro (coriander), star anise (star anise), basil, ginger, saffron. Additional components can be any products: sour cream, yogurt, cheese.
- It is delicious to use shellfish with beer and dry white wine.
- Eat mussels with your hands using a fork. The opened cooked shell is taken in one hand, in the other a fork is used to scroll the meat and separate it from the flaps. You can replace the plug with the flap of the sink, and in restaurants, tongs are served for this.
- Cooled ready-made shellfish can be added to salads, main courses or sauces. After that, they must be rinsed to eliminate the likelihood of ingress of foreign particles, dry and sprinkle on a flat plate.
How to cook mussel meat
- Fresh shellfish must be cooked on the day of purchase, or refrigerated for a couple of days. They must first be cleaned of sinks and rinsed. Shellfish in shells - rinse thoroughly, remove shells and shells with cracks. Further, it all depends on imagination and taste preferences. The main thing is not to digest them: peeled mussels are boiled for 5 minutes, mollusks in shells - until the valves open.
- Frozen mussels are prepared in the same way as fresh ones. They are thawed and washed thoroughly. Readiness is determined as follows: peeled frozen seafood is cooked for 7 minutes, and clams in shells are cooked until the shells open. The mussels in the shells should be brought to a boil, drained and boiled in fresh water for 10 minutes until they open.
- Clams are served hot, because cooled down lose some of their taste. They are not prepared for the future due to the high risk of poisoning. Therefore, it is not advised to warm them up and store them.
How to cook frozen mussels: a step by step recipe
Frozen mussels should be selected before cooking. They are usually sold by weight, or packed in vacuum bags. The seafood should be covered with a thin layer of ice - it retains its beneficial properties and taste. Carefully feel and shake the frozen package: mussels should not be a frozen lump, and there should be no crunch of snow inside the package. The presence of these shortcomings suggests that the mussels have already been thawed. Whenever possible, choose marine reptiles packed in a transparent bag or a bag with transparent "windows" so that you can appreciate their appearance.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 172 kcal.
- Servings - 2
- Cooking time - 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Frozen mussels without shells - packaging
- Water - a large saucepan 2/3 full of water
- Edible salt to taste
- Condiments and spices to taste
Preparation:
- Wash the mussels thoroughly in running water, remove all dirt and algae.
- Fill the pot with water, add salt, spices, herbs and bring to a boil.
- Boil and toss the clams in boiling salted water.
- Bring to a boil again, reduce gas to low and cook for 5 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the size of the shellfish. Large reptiles can be cooked for 5 minutes, small ones - 3.
- After a certain time, transfer the mussels to a plate. If you leave them in a saucepan, for example, so as not to cool, then the shellfish will become rubbery.
How to cook frozen mussels in shells
The housewives of the coastal countries have more than one favorite recipe for making mussels in stock, which cannot be said about the housewives of the middle lane. And although recipes with seafood are becoming more and more popular and more and more people are mastering them, not many still know how to cook them correctly.
Ingredients:
- Mussels in shells - 1 kg
- Drinking water - 4 l
- Salt and spices to taste
Step by step cooking mussels at home:
- Defrost the shells of frozen sea creatures, wash well and clean to a shine. Completely remove sand and dark, tough, ingrown algae from them.
- Put a pot of water on the stove and boil over high heat. Season with salt and spices.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer frozen reptiles on a low boil, uncovered, 3-5 minutes. After using a slotted spoon, remove them from the water and use as directed.
- The broth after them can be filtered and used to make sauce or soup.
Video recipes:
