How to eat mussels: basic rules

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Russians love seafood. On the tables, you can often see shrimp, mussels, and other shellfish. Pay attention to the tried and tested tips on how to eat mussels properly.

The nuances of selection and pre-processing of mussels

Mussels can be bought at the fish store, supermarket or market. Frozen mussels are usually cheaper. When buying, it is advisable to pay attention to the sinks. It is best not to take specimens with damaged or fragmented shells.

Do not take into account the color of the meat when choosing mussels, because it reflects not freshness, but only the sex of the clam. In females, the flesh is orange, in males it is white.

Mussels lose their freshness pretty quickly. They should not be stored for too long and are best consumed on the day of purchase. Before you start cooking, seafood must first be cleaned of impurities and debris. This is best done with a special hard brush or brush.

Do not press too hard or the sink may be damaged. It is not recommended to pour boiling water over the mussels. This can lead to the loss of their delicate scent. To make it easier to work, you need to transfer the shellfish to a container of cold salted water.

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How to cook mussels

They are prepared immediately after cleaning. The process takes some time. Long cooking times can make them unusable.

After putting the mussels in a frying pan, you need to fill them with a little water and cook over low heat. Pay attention to the shells: if they start cracking, you should turn off the stove as soon as possible, otherwise the shells will harden. This should happen a couple of minutes after the steam is released. To ensure that the shellfish cook evenly, it is advisable to gently stir the dish from time to time.

Don't wait for all the shells to open. If some do not open, then they are stale.

How and with what to eat mussels

Eating mussels in their shells may seem like a tricky question, but they are not. Unlike oysters, it is impossible to mechanically separate the meat from the chitinous membrane.

What the rules of etiquette say about what you can eat mussel fillets with. The ideal choice would be white wine, vermouth or champagne (always chilled). The choice in favor of cognac or vodka can distort the taste sensations.

Mussels go well with garlic and herbs, shallots, grapes, avocado, mango, saffron and celery - this is what gourmets recommend to eat mussels. Exotic lovers can sprinkle them with grated chili, coconut or ginger.

Mussels in wine

This is one of the most popular mussel recipes in the world. Take 2-3 shallots, half a small bunch of parsley, 2 tbsp. l. butter or olive oil and a little pepper. For this recipe, use white, always dry wine.

All ingredients are finely chopped and sent to the pan. When they are ready, they add freshly cooked clams to them. If you like garlic, you can add it to your dish as a chopped clove or granulated spice.

There are some subtleties of how to eat mussels in wine. The French like to serve a baguette with such an appetizer, the Belgians - coarsely chopped French fries.

How to eat shellfish raw

Some connoisseurs of Mediterranean cuisine prefer to eat mussels raw. In this case, you need to thoroughly wash the hard shell so that viruses, bacteria or parasites do not get inside. Then open the closed shell with a round or blunt blade.

Cut the meat off the bottom of the shell and carefully remove it. At this stage, special care must be taken to ensure that the contents do not accidentally fall out.

Eating raw shellfish is no big deal. The mussels should be drizzled with a little lemon or orange juice, depending on whether you prefer sweet or slightly sour taste.

The Japanese usually canned raw mussel meat by cutting it into cubes and then mixing it with fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, pumpkin, or radishes. The prepared dish can be supplemented with soy sauce, which will perfectly emphasize the delicate taste of the mussels.

Another idea for how you can eat raw shellfish is to add them to Italian pasta.

How to eat pickled mussels and clams from a jar

But how to eat mussels in oil correctly - nothing is easier. Pickled clams from a jar are considered an independent snack that can be served immediately.

Alternatively, add to salad. They can be used in two ways: eaten hot or raw. Mussels in store-bought brine can also be used as an ingredient in a salad.

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How to eat mussels in a restaurant

Many people are afraid to order this dish, because they do not know how to eat mussels in shells in a restaurant. After seeing photos in various culinary magazines, you might think that this is very difficult. In fact, eating mussels doesn't take much skill. This can be done with your hands.

Here's how to eat shellfish in a restaurant:

1. Take the mussel and open the shell completely.
2. Select the white meat inside and remove it.
3. Add some lemon or orange juice.

There is nothing complicated in how to eat mussels in broth. If the shellfish are surrounded by pasta, salad, or broth, they should be eaten with the rest of the meal with a fork or spoon. Alternatively, eat the mussels in the traditional way and the dish with cutlery. Everything is determined by the form of serving: whether they were presented without a shell, served separately or as part of a dish.

Is it okay to eat mussels during pregnancy

Mussels contain many nutrients that the body needs and not only during pregnancy. But since there is a risk of the presence of parasites, such as tapeworm eggs, the question arises of how to eat mussels for pregnant women - in brine, raw or boiled. The answer is obvious: pregnant women should never eat raw mussels, but only those that have been thoroughly fried or boiled beforehand.

Outcomes

Many people think that eating seafood and serving it to your guests is a luxury and too difficult. But making shellfish dishes doesn't really involve much difficulty and doesn't take a lot of time. However, as is the mussel.

It is enough to open the shell, detach the meat from the bottom. You can do this with your fingers. If during the cooking process the shells begin to separate, this is a sign that the mussels are ready. Mussels in white wine are the most popular way to prepare this seafood.