Dried mussels recipe how to cook. How to cook mussels at home? How to cook fresh mussels

It used to be that mussels were a poor man's food. And this is not surprising, because mussels can be caught in any body of water. Now, despite the availability of this product, mussels are considered a true delicacy in many countries. If you share the same point of view, then in this article you will find some interesting recipes, how to cook mussels at home.

Mussels are a unique product that has a special taste and contains a huge amount of useful substances. Those who truly appreciate and understand the essence of healthy eating are sure to add mussel dishes to their diet.

Let's try to figure out what's so useful about this product:

1. Mussels contain easily digestible protein containing essential amino acids. A person must consume them without fail in order to maintain the full functioning of the internal organs.
2. The insides of mussels contain beneficial fatty acids, for example, arachidonic fatty acid, which ensures complete metabolism in the human body.
3. Mussels contain vitamins A, B and PP, which improve blood, strengthen the immune system and help normalize vision.

Mussels should definitely be included in the diet of people who:

• have cancer
• arthritis
• have problems with blood
• improper digestion

Those with gout should not eat mussels, because the huge amount of protein contained in these shellfish will be converted into uric acid and deposited in the form of crystals on a person’s joints.

How to choose quality mussels?

Mussels are a valuable product that will benefit humans only if they are fresh. How to understand that you are looking at quality shellfish:

• they should only smell like a sea; if you smell some kind of unpleasant odor, it means the product is already spoiled;
• the shells of the mussels must be tightly closed; if you see the opposite picture, then refuse to purchase such shellfish so as not to be poisoned;
• the mussels should have a pleasant yellow color, moreover, there should be no cracks on their shells; if you see defects of this kind, it means that you are looking at a product that has already been defrosted and frozen several times.

Mussels are unique in that they can be served with absolutely any side dish and cooked as an independent dish. These shellfish contain only 80 calories per 100 g of product, so you can eat them in unlimited quantities - they will not affect your figure in any way.

The main thing is to know how and how long to cook mussels to make a healthy and tasty dish. We will share with you great recipes that you can use right now.

How to cook frozen mussels?

Frozen mussels are most often sold already shelled. Before preparing them, you need to defrost the product and then use it for its intended purpose. We offer you a recipe for delicious pasta with frozen mussels in cream sauce:

1. Boil any pasta or spaghetti in the usual way.
2. Thaw 200 g of mussels and fry them for 7 minutes in a frying pan pre-greased with vegetable oil.
3. Add garlic juice to mussels. The amount of this ingredient can be any - it depends on your taste preferences. As a rule, 2 cloves of garlic are enough.
4. Pour the boiled pasta into the frying pan where the mussels were cooked.
5. Pour 200 g of heavy and sweet cream into the resulting paste. Mix everything thoroughly so that all ingredients are well saturated with creamy taste.
6. After this, season the dish with thyme and ground black pepper to taste, and also add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
7. Wait until the cream in the dish begins to boil. Once this happens, mix the pasta with the mussels and serve.

How to cook mussels: recipes

There are many other interesting recipes, how to cook peeled mussels. Here are a few of them :

1. Can cook mussels in the oven with cream sauce:

• First, the mussels are boiled. You will need 1 kg of product and 5 minutes of time for this process.
• The baking tray in which you will bake the mussels should be greased with butter. Place the clams on it and set them aside. After this, turn on the oven so that it heats up to 200 degrees.
• While the oven is heating up, prepare the cream sauce: grate 200 g of cheese (preferably processed cheese), add 300 ml of heavy cream and 1 yolk (raw). Next, add garlic juice made from 2 cloves of garlic, 20 g of flour and potato starch. Mix everything thoroughly so that the sauce acquires a uniform thick consistency.
• Pour the creamy sauce over the mussels and place them in the prepared oven for 15 minutes.

1. Can cook mussel meat in a slow cooker:

• Prepare 500 g of mussels.
• Fill the multicooker container with vegetable oil, and then place the peeled mussels in it. Immediately season them with salt and pepper to taste.
• Turn on the “Baking” mode on the multicooker. Let the mussels cook for 25 minutes.
• While the main ingredient is fried, prepare a tomato and cream sauce for it: blanch 200 g of fresh tomatoes, chop them in a blender, pour 200 ml of heavy cream into the resulting juice, and then mix everything thoroughly so that the sauce acquires a uniform consistency.
• Pour the resulting sauce over the fried mussels in the slow cooker and let them simmer in it for 10 minutes. The dish must be served hot.

1. Can cook mussels over a fire:

• Thaw and prepare 1 kg of peeled mussels for heat treatment.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and then add garlic juice from 2 cloves of garlic to the resulting liquid.
• Pour the resulting sauce over the mussels. Immediately season them with pepper and other spices to taste.
• Pour the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon over the mussels and leave for half an hour so that the shellfish are well marinated.
• Place the prepared meat on the barbecue grid and fry it over the fire on each side for 3 minutes.

How to cook fresh mussels?

Now let's figure it out how to cook mussels, closed in flaps, not frozen. Experts recommend cooking any of this product as soon as you buy it because shellfish spoil very quickly.

What needs to be done to cook boiled fresh closed mussels:

• rinse all mussels very thoroughly to remove sand under running water;
• first, lower the mussels into boiling water for just a couple of minutes (this time is enough for the shells to open and the meat can be removed);
• meat that has been removed from the shells must be cleaned and rinsed under water so that all the sand comes off;
• If you don't want to remove the meat from the shells, then simply put the midi in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, during which they will open (once you smell the delicious sea aroma of the shellfish, they are ready to be served).

It is advisable to serve unpeeled mussels hot with some kind of sauce. We offer you the recipe cooking mussels in shells in tomato sauce:

1. Transfer the boiled clams to a heated frying pan. It needs to be greased with butter and garlic juice.
2. Add to the main ingredient several canned tomatoes without skins and paprika (literally half a teaspoon).
3. After 2 minutes, add to the sauce:

• glass of wine (preferably white)
• ground black pepper (literally 1 pinch)

1. Cover the mussels with a lid and after 7 minutes remove them from the heat. During this time, the sauce will thicken and imbue it with the aroma of shellfish.

How to marinate mussels?

Mussel meat can be eaten as a snack. However, to do this, it must be properly marinated:

1. Prepare half a kilogram of peeled mussels.
2. Peel 1 head of garlic. Cut each clove into strips.
3. Add 10 g of dried dill to the chopped garlic.
4. Boil the brine:

• boil water in a saucepan
• add 20 g of salt to it
• 10 black peppercorns
• 75 g of onions (it is better to peel 2 heads and throw them whole into water)
• 1 pod hot pepper

1. Boil the prepared mussels in this water for 5 minutes. After this, add 5 ml of liquid smoke to the water, cover the mussels with a lid and leave them to cook for another couple of minutes.
2. Place the garlic-dill mixture at the bottom of one jar, which must be initially sterilized.
3. Then add the mussels removed from the brine.
4. Pour vegetable oil over the mussels until it covers them completely.
5. Once the mussels have cooled, place them in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Then they can be served as a cold appetizer.

Abroad, mussels are added to rice to make pilaf with seafood. The Spaniards call this dish paella. In Asia, soups are prepared with mussels. You can show your imagination and come up with your own delicious dish. The main thing is to remember to carefully process the mussel meat and their shells so as not to harm your health.

Video: “How to cook mussels?”

The sea has fed man for thousands of years. It is a repository of food reserves, which are famous for their nutritional value - rare microelements, vitamins, amino acids, high-quality protein. In addition to fish, the seas and oceans are home to octopuses, crabs, squid, scallops and many other healthy seafood that are suitable for food, including mussels. Which have tender soft meat with a sweetish taste. When it is boiled, it gives off a pleasant aroma. Pilaf, soups, salads, and stews are prepared from mussel meat. It is salted, pickled, smoked, baked, fried. Mussels are served with pasta, cereals, potatoes, and vegetables. It should be remembered that it is advisable to consume cooked shellfish immediately; do not store them for more than twelve hours, otherwise poisoning is possible.

Mussels - food preparation

Before consumption, shellfish require some preparation. If you do not want to chew sand while eating, frozen mussels must be rinsed very thoroughly after defrosting.

If you are going to cook mussels in their shells, longer preparation will be required. First of all, it is necessary to visually inspect them and remove shellfish with damaged shells; they are not eaten. To open the valves, the mussels must be placed in a hot frying pan or lowered into boiling water for two minutes. Then the meat is removed from the shell, the growth (a bunch of algae that attaches the mollusks to the stones) is pulled out, and thoroughly washed to remove sand and stones.

Mussels - the best recipes

Recipe 1: Marinated mussels

One of the most delicious dishes that can be prepared from mussels is to simply marinate them. They turn out very tasty and cheaper than store bought ones. You can add them to a salad, put them on a piece of toast, and just eat them. We offer two cooking options. In the first case, the marinade is indicated without adding vinegar - with spices, white wine and lemon, in the second - with vinegar. And so, so delicious.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg mussels, vegetable oil – 2-3 table. false., ? lemon (juice), 150 ml dry wine (white), 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon each. lie honey and prepared mustard, salt, pepper, 1 bay leaf, several sprigs of fresh dill and cilantro.

Cooking method

If using frozen mussels, defrost.
Prepare a spiced sauce in which the mussels will be boiled. To do this, boil the wine, put garlic in it (no need to chop), bay leaf, pepper, lower the mussels and boil for about four minutes (measure the time from the moment of boiling). Drain in a colander.
Make the marinade. Finely chop the greens, add lemon juice, oil, pepper, mustard, and salt. You can use any mustard, for example, French or spicy.
Transfer the still warm mussels, along with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic, into the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for about five hours. It is more convenient to marinate in a glass jar or deep bowl. By the way, you can marinate shrimp in the same way.

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, half a glass of water, 1 table. spoon of table vinegar (9%), 1.5-2 table. lie sugar, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Thaw the shellfish. Salt the water, boil and boil the mussels in it for three to four minutes.
Make the marinade. It should taste sweet and sour. Dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water and add vinegar. Place mussels in hot marinade. In an hour they will be ready to eat. You can put them in jars and add a little vegetable oil.

Recipe 2: Baked mussels

Baked mussels are not only delicious, but also look beautiful, especially if they are baked and served directly in their shells. This dish is suitable for both a festive table and a romantic evening. We offer two cooking options: in the first option, seafood is baked in shells under a cheese crust, in the second – in a regular form with sauce.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg of mussels in shells, 2 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 50 g of butter, spices, 150 g of hard cheese.

Cooking method

Rinse the mussels well, peel the shells and boil for ten to fifteen minutes. You can add bay leaf, spices if desired, and salt to the water. During cooking, all the doors should open. Those that remain closed should not be eaten. Divide the cooled clams into halves and carefully separate the meat, which should be put back into the shells.

Grind the garlic and tomatoes using a grater or blender. Place a piece of butter and a spoonful of tomato mixture into each half of the meat, grate the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes (180C).

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, peppercorns, hard cheese – 100g. Sauce: soft processed cheese – 100-150g, 200ml cream, 25g butter, 1 yolk, 1 table. spoon of flour, 3 cloves of garlic.

Cooking method

Defrost the mussels, boil for three minutes in salted water, adding peppercorns (5-6 pcs.).

Prepare the sauce. Chop the garlic and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. It is better to mix with a whisk or blender so that there are no lumps.

Place the mussels in a frying pan or mold, pour over the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes (200C).

Recipe 3: Fried mussels

Fried mussels are a simple dish to prepare, but delicious in taste. Both vegetable oil and melted butter will be used for frying. Nutritionists recommend butter, which contains at least 25% vegetable fats. But it must first be melted. Otherwise, harmful carcinogens may form in the pan when it burns.

Ingredients: 0.5 kg of mussels, vegetable oil, 2 onions, salt, ground hot pepper, seafood seasoning (or herbs de Provence).

Cooking method

Chop the onion into cubes and fry until golden. Add the mussels and fry, stirring constantly, for five to seven minutes over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, seasoning and remove from heat. Let it brew for a while, covered. Can be served with rice, potatoes or as a separate dish.

— You should eat shellfish caught between June and February, because... In spring they are not so tasty and fatty.

— Mussels should not be subjected to long-term heat treatment, otherwise they will be dry and tasteless. The rule for boiling squids applies to them - no more than three to five minutes.

— Fresh mussels should not have an unpleasant odor and have tightly closed flaps that cannot be opened by hand.

Many seafood, including mussels, have long ceased to be a delicacy even for people living far from the sea. Frozen shellfish meat, peeled, is an affordable product in all respects. And this is good news, because there are many delicious and nutritious dishes that use mussels. I consider the recipes with photos included in this collection to be some of the most successful. I did not include expensive ingredients in their composition; they fit perfectly into the concept of the average family’s home menu. The result will definitely be successful and appetizing.

Spicy mussels in a frying pan with rice, garlic and soy sauce

A dish that you are not ashamed to offer even to guests. Satisfaction, richness of aromas and unobtrusive multi-layered flavors. If the rice is pre-cooked, it takes just minutes to cook!

Necessary:

How to cook fried mussels with rice at home (step-by-step recipe with photos):

Leave frozen seafood for 40-60 minutes at room temperature. After complete thawing, rinse them in cold water to remove sand. Drain in a colander. Inspect each shellfish carcass for algae. The latter must be removed. Place the prepared seafood on a paper towel to dry.
Rice needs to be cooked in advance. It is advisable to use steamed long grain cereals. See the secrets of cooking a fluffy rice side dish. Rinse the rice well, changing the water several times. Pour boiling water in a ratio of 1 to 2. Cook under a closed lid until cooked.
Pour some of the vegetable fat into the frying pan. Add butter. When it melts, add a small portion (no more than 100 g) of shellfish to fry. Cook for 30-40 seconds on each side. At the end of frying, add the garlic passed through a press. Place the fried seafood in a separate bowl or pan with the rice. Prepare all the raw materials in this way.
Chop the onion into thin quarter rings. If necessary, add a little oil to the pan. Fry the onion until translucent and golden brown. Transfer to clams.
Peel the pepper. Cut into strips. Fry until done.
Place all previously prepared products into the frying pan. Season with pepper and rosemary. Stir. Pour in the sauce. It should completely color the rice light brown. Then the taste of the dish will be full and rich. Stir. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Usually no salt is needed due to the saltiness of the sauce. But I recommend trying it and bringing the dish to the desired taste.
When serving, sprinkle with herbs.

Mussels in shells with cheese and garlic, baked in the oven

Tender, juicy shellfish baked in shells look very appetizing and sophisticated. A great idea for a special event or buffet table.

Ingredients:

Detailed recipe with step-by-step photos:

If the mussels are fresh frozen, defrost them at room temperature. Fresh seafood, accordingly, simply rinse. Using a sharp knife, carefully separate the meat from the shells. To do this, it is necessary to trim the adductor muscle. By the way, it is advisable to remove the closing muscles from the product before preparing it. They are difficult to chew and have virtually no taste. Therefore, they do not represent any value for the dish. Rather, on the contrary, they spoil it.
Place the processed carcasses in a bowl. Wash the sinks thoroughly to remove algae, inside and out. Wash carefully, since the doors, despite their apparent strength, are quite fragile (especially around the edges).
Prepare the cream sauce. Place both types of butter or cream with vegetable shortening in a small bowl. Add spices and salt. Crush the garlic into a paste and add to the rest of the ingredients. Pour in lemon or lime juice.
Mix thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for a while until it softens and becomes homogeneous.
Grate the cheese on a fine grater.
Return the mussels back to their shells. Place on a baking sheet. To prevent the sinks from warping, place a piece of folded foil under them. Grease with creamy mixture. Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 3 minutes.
Remove and sprinkle with cheese. Bake again for 4-5 minutes, no more. To brown the cheese, you can turn on the top heat (grill function).
Serve mussels with cheese immediately after baking. The ideal side dish is boiled rice or pasta (pasta). In my opinion, this is one of the best cooking recipes.

Stewed mussels with mushrooms and spices in white wine

Mushrooms, seafood and wine - a friendly trio! A laconic set of ingredients and always tasty results. You can add other seafood to the warm “company”: shrimp, squid, octopus, langoustines.

Required Products:

Method of preparation (step-by-step instructions with photos):

Thaw seafood. Remove algae. Rinse to remove small debris and grains of sand. Place on a sieve. After the water has drained, transfer to a bowl.
Remove the film from the mushrooms. If they are young and not dirty, rinse them under the tap. Chop coarsely.
Pour the wine into a saucepan. Place on the stove. Warm over low heat until the alcohol evaporates. At the same time, place the mushrooms in a dry frying pan. Stirring, simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in half the oil. Fry the mushrooms until golden brown. Remove from pan.
Pour out and heat the remaining oil. If desired, add a piece of butter to give the seafood a delicate taste and aroma. Fry the shellfish in several batches. Try not to put a large portion into the pan at once, because... The mussels will not be fried, but stewed. Cook for 1-2 minutes maximum per barrel.
Place all fried ingredients back into the pan. Pour in the evaporated wine. Add chopped parsley and garlic. Season with dried spices. Add some salt.
Stir. Simmer over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes.
Try it! Vegetables just beg for a side dish.

Marinated mussels in oil

Spicy, slightly spicy, incredibly aromatic and endlessly appetizing! Inexpensive meat of bivalve mollusks can be an excellent basis for preparing an awesome snack.

List of components:

How to cook:

Small, whole mussels without shells (already peeled) are ideal for this recipe. Frozen or fresh - it doesn't matter. The former, accordingly, require preliminary defrosting, so they take a little longer to prepare. Be sure to remove the seaweed from the center before cooking. Rinse the raw materials. Place in a colander and leave over the sink to drain all the liquid.
In the meantime, prepare the spicy marinade. Mix oil, tomato paste, salt, sugar and all spices.
Place the mixture on the stove. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Remove marinade from oven. Pour in vinegar. Stir well. Cool slightly (to 50-60 degrees).
Place the mussels in a jar or food container. Pour in hot oil marinade. When the snack has cooled, close it tightly and put it in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.
You can try. The shellfish turn out to be very tender, spicy, aromatic, and filling.

Many of us, especially those who love seafood, have probably thought about how to cook mussels. Among products that are both tasty and healthy, mussels have a special place. There are many ways to cook mussels. Mussels have tender and dense meat, which has a unique, exquisite taste, hence the reason for such a variety of cooking methods. Mussels can be boiled, stewed, fried, marinated and baked in sauce. Be sure to cook mussels at home. We assure you that everyone will probably be happy. Before we tell you a few recipes on how to cook mussels, let's find out some information about this product, popular all over the world.

A little about mussels

Mussels are rich in beneficial immunostimulating substances and various microelements. Like any other seafood, mussels are considered a dietary product. Mussels are a huge reservoir of protein. Let me note that frozen mussels, naturally, are not as healthy as fresh mussels, hence the method of preparing them is different. But, nevertheless, such mollusks are an excellent source for obtaining acids, iron and phosphorus that are useful to humans. Mussel meat is a very low-calorie product, which is recommended even by nutritionists for losing excess weight. When preparing mussels, you don’t have to think too much about the combination of products, since they go well with almost everything! Of course, when preparing any mussels, in any case, it is worth considering the place where they grew and lived. But don’t forget, the fresher the mussels, the tastier they are - this should always be remembered!

It is generally accepted that the most delicious mussels are from July to October. When purchasing, you also need to check them for weight, appearance and smell. In order to cook mussels, and cook them deliciously, they need to be stored so that the shellfish remain alive. In this case, the mussels should be kept in the refrigerator, under a damp towel. Remember that mussels should not be stored for more than three days.

You might be asking, what type of mussels is best for cooking? The most common types of mussels are those with a green shell (large) or those with a blue-black shell (small). An interesting point: with all the positive qualities of mussels, we should not forget that they are water purifiers in life. Drawing the appropriate conclusions, it becomes clear that they should not be consumed in large quantities.

How to cook frozen mussels

Unfortunately, we can only buy frozen seafood in stores. Therefore, it is worth talking separately about how to properly cook frozen mussels. First, you need to remember a few rules on this topic.

The first rule is related to defrosting. You must remember that mussels can only be thawed once, since mussels are a perishable product. When purchasing, keep an eye on

so that they do not stick together.

The second rule is directly related to the preparation of frozen mussels. Fresh frozen mussels are easiest to simply cook. Frozen mussels are cooked for five to twenty minutes. Pour water into a saucepan and add shellfish. Wait until they boil and become foamy. Make sure that the mussel meat is not overcooked, otherwise it will become like rubber. You can probably finish cooking frozen mussels here, just add spices to taste.

So, how to cook mussels, or rather, even how to cook mussels at home

As an example, the three simplest recipes for preparing mussels are perfect:

1. Throw the mussels into salted water, which has boiled for some time, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then drain the water. Place the mussels on a plate as you like, pour in lemon juice, garnish with herbs and lemon slices. Boiled white rice is perfect as a side dish. Cooking the mussels is finished.

2. You can also make a salad from mussels at home. You will need: mussels, bell peppers, pickled cucumbers, Chinese cabbage, lemon juice. Spices: olive oil, garlic, pepper, salt and Tabasco sauce.

Cooking mussels begins by boiling them in salted water for about 15 minutes. Then, the mussels are laid out on a plate. Add diced sweet peppers and cucumbers to them. Then, cut the cabbage into strips and add to the salad. Mix the general consistency and add oil. Prepare the mussel salad by adding salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. I tried this recipe myself and really liked it. Lively, uncomplicated and tasteful!

3. The most sophisticated way to prepare mussels at home is probably pilaf. The main thing is not to forget that this is pilaf, and the dish should still be dominated by rice, not mussels. In order to prepare mussel pilaf, you will need: 700 grams of mussels, a glass of rice, 40 grams of butter, carrots, onions, 20 grams of tomato paste. When choosing spices, take: salt, bay leaf, pepper, at your discretion.

Cooking pilaf begins with boiling mussels. While the mussels are cooking, fry the grated carrots and onions in butter. After they acquire a golden hue, add rice to them. Add 2 cups of water in which the mussels were cooked to the resulting consistency, stir, add tomato paste and spices. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add the mussels. Such pilaf turns out to be very tasty, satisfying and healthy. And every time you try such a dish, your family and friends will praise you. From here we can conclude that it is better to cook mussels yourself, so as not to confuse the composition and amount of spices, because each person has his own taste.

If you want to cook something savory, then cook mussels with vegetables or Korean mussels. You can also cook mussels in sour cream. These recipes can be easily implemented at home. We'll talk about this below.

How to cook mussels with vegetables recipe

To prepare mussels with vegetables you will need: mussels, seafood to taste, lemon, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, bell pepper, garlic and dill.

Finely chop the onion and fry it until golden brown. Then, add mussels, chopped tomatoes and bell peppers to it. Simmer the mussel meat for 10-15 minutes. When the juices begin to release from the mussels, remove the dish from the heat. Cooking mussels with vegetables is finished! Next, transfer the mussels to a salad bowl, season with lemon juice and dill. Can be served both hot and cold. If you use frozen mussels to prepare the dish, the meat will end up being more elastic, but if you take fresh ones, it will taste like chicken. Who likes what more? Please note that when preparing mussels with vegetables, the dish is not salted!

How to cook mussels in Korean

Mussels cooked in Korean have an exotic, sweetish taste. To prepare mussels in Korean you will need: (ingredients) 3 onions, mussels. Dressing: soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, 10 grams of honey, black pepper, coriander and nutmeg.

Let's start cooking mussels in Korean by boiling them in boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Afterwards, pour them into a sieve and let the liquid drain. Then, remove the small green layer under the black tongue. Chop the onions and sprinkle them with lemon juice. Mix it with mussels.

The second step in cooking mussels in Korean is dressing. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and heat over low heat. Then mix them with mussels and onions, and then leave to infuse at room temperature.

The third step in preparing mussels is, oddly enough, the marinade. Place the resulting mixture in the refrigerator overnight. It is advisable to stir every few hours so that the meat marinates evenly. This will make the taste of the mussels much richer and brighter.

How to cook mussels in sour cream

You will need: 500 grams of mussels, 2-3 onions and 250 grams of sour cream.

Defrost the mussels, but not completely. Meanwhile, while the mussels are defrosting, cut the onion and fry it. Next, add the mussels to the onion and simmer for about 10 minutes. Considering that we are cooking mussels in sour cream, then pour the sour cream into the frying pan and simmer everything together for another 5 minutes. Then add salt and pepper.

Spaghetti works well as a side dish for mussels in sour cream. If you want, you can squeeze 1 clove of garlic into the dish, to taste. Bon appetit!

How to cook mussels for beer

Many of you have probably noticed that men often use mussels as a beer snack. Let's tell them how to cook mussels for beer deliciously?

A great way to prepare mussels for beer is mussels in garlic sauce

To do this, you will need 0.5 kilograms of mussels, 20 grams of butter and flour, a few cloves of garlic, at your discretion, 1 chicken egg yolk, lemon juice and parsley.

The first step in preparing mussels for beer is this. First, wash the mussels, put them in a saucepan and fill with cold water. We begin to heat the mussels over low heat until the meat is soft. Next, take out the mussels and place them on a pre-warmed plate.

The second step in preparing mussels for beer is the sauce. Fry the flour and butter, then dilute them with the water in which the mussels were boiled. Next, add finely chopped garlic and stir well. Remove from heat and season the sauce with lemon juice and egg yolk. Your mussels are ready for beer!

Mussels with mayonnaise and mustard also go well with beer.

Take mussels, about 100 grams of mayonnaise, mustard, pickled bell pepper, black pepper and salt. Next, cook the mussels, remove and cool. Then add salt and pepper, add mayonnaise and mustard, and stir. Place pickled bell peppers on top. The process of preparing mussels for beer is over!

The last recipe for preparing mussels for beer is mussel soup

You will need: 10 milliliters of lemon juice, parsley, mussels, garlic and salt to taste, bread crumbs (75 grams), 1 onion, butter (12 grams), cream and white wine (100 grams).

The first step in preparing mussel soup for beer is to boil the mussels for about three minutes. Next, strain the water over high heat and wait until it boils down to 1 liter. Discard any parts of the mussel that do not open.

The second step in preparing mussel soup is cooking the garlic and onions in butter. Add the broth left over from the mussels, bread, lemon juice and white wine. Bring the soup to a boil and only then add the mussels and reduce the heat. Next, pour in the cream and add the herbs, but do not let the soup boil so that the cream does not curdle.

The third step in preparing mussels for beer is serving the dish. Place the mussels on plates and pour the broth over them.

A very nice feature of this beer mussel appetizer is that it can be frozen and used several times. Although it is believed that an appetizer should be light, but this soup is more like a whole main course. Of course, it can be used that way, but as a snack it’s still too filling.

How to cook mussels over a fire

Many of you have probably been to the sea and tried to cook mussels over a fire. Here is one of the basic recipes for preparing mussels this way.

For this you will need a little. Base: frozen mussels, butter (20 grams/one kg of meat), garlic (to taste) and lemon juice. Spices: herbs, hot pepper (ground) and salt.

The process of cooking mussels does not take place over a fire, but at home. Defrost the mussels. While they are defrosting, melt the butter and squeeze out the garlic. Next, pour the already thawed mussels with the resulting mixture, salt and pepper, add herbs and lemon juice. After this, we leave the meat to marinate for one or two hours.

Enjoy new recipes, experiment, and your life will become brighter. Bon appetit!

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, remains 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 prepared 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.