How to eat frozen mussels. Restaurant etiquette: how to cook and eat mussels

MusselsMollusks with bivalve shells, have an oval shape, and can grow up to 20 cm in length. Mussels live in large groups, tightly attached to coastal stones, and feed on plankton.

The average lifespan of these mollusks ranges from six to twelve years, and the age of Pacific mussels can reach 30 years. Female mussels are very prolific - during spawning they throw out up to twenty eggs, and in a day viable larvae form from them.

Mussels are a valuable seafood and gourmet delicacy. They are completely immune to habitat conditions and live in large groups, attaching themselves to rocks.

Mussels live in the oceans, especially in northern waters. This delicacy is adored in all countries, and its annual turnover around the world is about 1.5 million tons. The body of the mollusk, or the muscle, which is located between the mother-of-pearl shells of the mussel, is used as food.

The benefits of mussels lie in their unique composition and a huge number of substances useful to humans in any form. This seafood contains the following elements:

Vitamins PP, A, B2, B1, C, E Unsaturated and saturated fatty acid Ash, water Cholesterol Trace elements Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, S Iron

The nutritional value of one hundred grams of the product is low - within 77 calories. The lion's share is made up of proteins (within 11g), and fats and carbohydrates in mussels are only 2-3 grams.

The main world suppliers of this delicacy product are Spain, Australia, Chile and Scotland. Many countries such as Japan, Belgium and France are engaged in the industrial cultivation of mussels. In Russia, the main seafood production is concentrated in Sakhalin.

Harm of mussels

Along with shrimp and oysters, mussels play important role in the ecosystem of the World Ocean, being its natural cleaners and filterers. They exist in any environment, not reacting to temperature changes or the level of salinity of the reservoir.

Mussels accumulate a dangerous poison - saxitoxin, which can cause nerve damage to the body.

Tons of water pass through one mollusk, leaving millions of microorganisms on its mother-of-pearl walls and insides, and not always useful ones. This is the harm of mussels. They are accumulators of toxic substances released by the simplest microorganisms of the ocean. When mussels are misused, the concentrated poison, which is called saxitoxin, adversely affects the body and can cause nerve damage.

Mussels are contraindicated:

In case of severe intolerance to one or more components of the product If an allergy is diagnosed In case of diseases of the circulatory system (blood clotting disorders) In case of gout

To eliminate the harm of mussels, conscientious producers keep them under special conditions before being sent for sale. For more than a month they are left in clean running water (then these mollusks completely get rid of toxic components), and only then they are frozen and packaged. Basically, all the mollusks that enter the store shelves are in a cleaned and boiled form. Such seafood is completely edible.

Freshly caught mussels categorically cannot be cooked and consumed on their own! Dangerous toxins contained inside the mollusk are not afraid heat treatment and alkaline compounds! Such mussels will only bring harm, not benefit, and the amount of accumulated poisons in the body of a mollusk can be so colossal that it will provoke intoxication of the whole organism!

The benefits of mussels

First of all, this delicious delicacy is a source of high-quality protein. The main benefit of mussels is to enrich the body polyunsaturated acids and valuable vitamins, which are found in low concentrations in other products. Shellfish are also rich in arachidonic acid, a substance due to which normal metabolism in the body proceeds.

The use of mussels enriches the body useful vitamins and elements, reduces the risk of cancer and improves potency

Mussel meat has a number of useful properties, among which:

Improving the condition of the epidermis, hair, nails Strengthening the body's defenses Removing harmful deposits, toxins and toxic compounds Treatment and prevention of arthritis Protecting the body from dangerous radicals Reducing the risk of oncology Improving the functioning of the circulatory and cardiovascular systems Normalizing digestive functions Strengthening the skeletal system

In addition, mussels occupy an honorable place in the list of popular aphrodisiac products. The use of this delicacy increases potency, improves sexual functions and kindles passion in men.

Mussels act on the body of a woman in a special way. The valuable trace elements that this product is rich in have a beneficial effect on the reproductive system of women and several times increase the chances of a normal pregnancy.

How to cook mussels

To prepare a fragrant delicacy, you can find unpeeled, live clams in shell on sale.

The preparation of live mussels in shell should be approached very carefully. And boiled-frozen clams are absolutely harmless and ready to eat. Important!

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They must be prepared with special care and caution, observing a number of simple rules:

Before cooking, all shells must be placed in cold water, and then sharp knife cut off all deposits and protrusions formed during their growth. To completely eliminate the harm of mussels, you need to carefully examine each of them - the valves must be tightly closed and not have visible damage. The suitability of mollusks can be checked in this way: during immersion in cold water, mussels should sink to the bottom of the container and not float up. If the shells are damaged or float to the surface 20 minutes after immersion in water, they should be thrown away without regret - the benefits of mussels in this case are very doubtful. Dishes from these seafood must be prepared on the day of their purchase, as the very next day they become unusable. Closed and washed mussels should be boiled over high heat. Ready-to-eat clams open and emit a pleasant, rich aroma. If the shells of mollusks have not opened after boiling, they should not be consumed. Shelled mussels are used to prepare soups, separate dishes, salads, they are stewed in wine, fried and grilled. Clams are served in shells or meat is extracted from them and added to various dishes.
The most delicious are mussels in the form of a separate dish - this is a delicacy for real gourmets

Peeled and frozen mussels are even easier to cook. They need to be thawed, rinsed well and dried. Then place in a saucepan, add cream or vegetable oil. In the process of frying, add the chopped onion and simmer for a few minutes. Add spices, garlic, salt to taste.

Clam meat goes well with lemon juice, rice, spaghetti, white wine, cheeses, chicken meat and vegetables. But it is best to use mussels as a separate dish to enjoy the taste and aroma of this exquisite delicacy.

mussels- This is one of the most common types of marine or river molluscs. There is currently a large number of special farms where mussels are grown for further sale.

The appearance of mussels is distinguished by a dark oval shell (see photo). The color of the shell may vary depending on its place of residence. Most often, the mussel shell is purple, brown or greenish.

Gourmets around the world love to eat mussels, which vaguely resemble oysters, but the taste of these two mollusks is significantly different. In addition, oysters have a muscle that holds the shells together, while mussels do not have such muscles, which makes it much easier to open the shell. Therefore, the cost of mussels is much lower than the cost of oysters.


Types of mussels

At present, there are a large number various types mussels, some of which are very difficult to distinguish from each other without opening the shell. But in general, there are three main types of mussels:

Black Sea, edible, Gray mussel.

These types of mussels differ in habitat, shape and color. So, Black Sea mussel lives or is grown on the Black Sea. The edible mussel comes from the Atlantic Ocean, while the Gray mussel comes from Japan. These mussels live at a depth of five meters, the maximum depth is twenty meters.

How to choose?

In order to cook mussels correctly and tasty, first you need to choose them correctly so as not to buy spoiled goods. To do this, we decided to give you a list of recommendations, using which you can choose the right mussels, so that later you can cook a tasty and healthy dish.

The first step is to pay attention to the integrity of the mussel shell. It must not be damaged, scratched or cracked. Also, the shell must be closed, as open mussels cannot be stored for a long time. If a loud click is not heard when opening the shell, this means that the mussel is probably stale. If you want to buy frozen mussels, then make sure that they do not stick together in a bag or in a box. The color of the clam inside the shell should be white, cream or pink. If you see mussel meat of any other color, it means that the product is not fresh. The mussels you buy should smell only of the sea or iodine, but not other foreign odors. Be suspicious of mussels whose weight is too large. It is possible that there may be sand inside the sink.

There are several varieties of mussels that can be seen on the market: frozen, canned and fresh. Be very careful when buying so as not to spoil the impression of the dish.

How to cook and how to eat mussels?

There are several ways to cook mussels. First of all, it is necessary to clarify that mussels should be cooked no later than 36 hours after purchase, otherwise they may deteriorate. Before cooking mussels, it is always necessary to open, remove the clams and rinse them well in water to remove dirt and sand that may be contained there.

Next, the mussels should be cooked in a large saucepan. In order to diversify the taste of ready-made mussels, you can add herbs, spices and salt to boiling water. Add everything to your liking, but do not overdo it. Mussels must be cooked for at least seven minutes if they are fresh, and at least ten minutes if they are frozen.

You can also cook mussels in the sink, but for this you will need to rinse them thoroughly, then dip them in boiling water and boil for about ten minutes. After that, the water will need to be drained, boil a new one, add spices, and lower the mussels there again. They will be ready when their shells open on their own.

There are a large number of recipes for dishes with mussels. You can cook with them paella, salad, soup, puree, sauce, you can stew them, fry or marinate them. In any case, you need to eat mussels along with wine, which will perfectly complement them. amazing taste. In our article, you can see a photo of the finished dish to make sure that the mussels look very appetizing!


Benefit and harm

The benefits of mussels are undeniable, because, thanks to them unique composition, you can recover bad sectors nervous system and provide the body with the necessary energy. Thanks to high content vitamins and trace elements in mussels, they have a beneficial effect on the human immune system, help in the treatment of colds or viral diseases, have a positive effect on blood vessels and the process of hematopoiesis in general.

Also, mussels have long are a powerful aphrodisiac. Regular use mussel enhances sexual desire, and also increases stress resistance. Also, mussels can act as a dietary product, since their calorie content is quite small.

Mussels can cause harm only in case of excessive abuse of this product. Mussels are only beneficial if used wisely.

Composition of mussels

The energy composition of mussels explains their usefulness to us. These mollusks contain a large amount of vitamins, such as A, E, C, D and a group of vitamins B. In addition to them, mussels contain various trace elements: zinc, iron, iodine, potassium and calcium, and many others. Thanks to such a rich composition, mussels can undoubtedly benefit the human body.

One of the most delicious delicacies extracted from the depths of the sea. He possesses so rich vitamin composition And original taste that even the ancient Greeks ate it. Modern people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle and diet have long included mussels in their diet. What's happened sea ​​mussels what is their use and how to prepare them? Let's find out!

scientific definition

Mussels are marine mollusks belonging to the Mytilius family, a class of bivalves. In total, 6 varieties of these organisms are known, among which there are edible species. Mussels live in all seas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Their habitat is the littoral (tidal) zone, dominated by sandy or rocky soils. At low tide, shellfish thrown ashore are attached to small stones in groups, thereby reducing overheating. Indeed, in summer, the evaporation of water from a large number of mussel shells occurs faster than from the surface of the shells of a small colony.

Distinctive features: size and structure of mussels

Mussels are mollusks that have an elongated wedge-shaped shape, on average their size ranges from 3 to 7 cm. The shell of mussels usually has a dark color of a greenish or brown hue, the inner surface is covered with a mother-of-pearl layer. The structure of mussels resembles the structure of a scallop: they also have a double-leaf shape, that is, the inside of the mussels is in two halves of one shell, which opens and closes during high and low tides. Thanks to this structure, mussels manage to survive on the shore until the next tide, because when they are thrown onto stones by a wave, the shell valves close tightly, thereby maintaining a sufficient supply of water in the inner mantle cavity for several days.

biological purpose

Recently, numerous discussions have flared up on the topic of the benefits and harms of mussels. The fact is that mussels are natural cleaners of the oceans, in other words, they are a filter. During the day, one mussel is able to pass through itself about 90 liters of sea water, holding any bio-garbage inside (plankton and detritus). It is precisely because of the sestonophagous way of eating that some consider the mussel to be harmful to the human body, but scientific studies have proven the opposite: the zoo- and phytoplankton eaten are processed in finely latticed gills, and then completely absorbed by the mussels (i.e., no bacteria sit in mussel mantle cavity).

Mussels can often be confused with scallops, because they are both very similar in appearance and lead approximately the same lifestyle. The scallop and mussel shell is a natural purifier of the oceans. This fact served as an impetus for the fact that these mollusks began to be grown artificially for cleaning and filtering sea waters.

Composition and useful properties

The beneficial properties of mussels are due to the fact that they contain a number of beneficial trace elements and minerals:

Magnesium (Mg) - is involved in important processes vital functions: glucose absorption, energy production, bone tissue building. Potassium (K) - is responsible for the proper functioning of cardio-vascular system and muscle tissue, regulates arterial pressure and participates in the removal of toxins from the intestines. Calcium (Ca) - is involved in the formation of bone tissue (teeth, skeleton), its deficiency leads to osteoporosis (bone fragility). Vitamin A - is responsible for the functioning immune system, participates in the regeneration of the skin, how effectively the body will fight infection and viruses depends on its quantity. Vitamin B groups (B3, B5, B6) are indispensable in the processes of production, distribution and transfer of energy, participate in the formation of the visual system. It has been proven that the lack of these elements leads to emotional disorders (sudden mood swings, fatigue, frequent stress due to trifles). Vitamin E - participates in metabolism, improves the metabolic process, skin elasticity depends on its amount in the body, which means that with a lack of vitamin E, the aging process is accelerated.

The similarities between scallop and mussels are that in many ways they have a similar chemical composition. Although from a scientific point of view, they have many differences (for example, mussels lead an almost immobile lifestyle, and scallops can move due to an impulsive way of movement).

Preparing mussels for eating

Mussel meat is dietary product containing only 50 kcal per 100 g of product, so this delicacy is not contraindicated even for those who have problems with overweight. The main element is a protein enriched in phosphatides, and healthy fat providing beneficial effect to the visual system. So how do you peel mussels and cook them at home?

There are several ways to cook mussels: frying directly on an open fire, boiling in a saucepan, or adding raw to salads. In any case, it is necessary to clean them from the sink. The best way to do this is as follows: first, unspoiled mussels should be selected and soaked in a container of running water to get rid of sand and small debris. After 20 minutes, you can begin the process of cleaning mussels: under running water, use a brush to clean the surface of the shells, and then gently pull the “beard” (this is a cluster of fibers that attach mussels to pebbles).

Recipes for dishes with the addition of mussels

Mussel meat has delicate taste, which, combined with the right sauce, will not leave indifferent even the most spoiled gourmet. Mussels are becoming more and more popular every day, and in each country they are prepared in their own way. Here are the most best recipes dishes with mussel meat from world-class chefs!

To prepare fried mussels, you will need 200 g of clams, 1 medium-sized onion, cl. oil - 70 g, herbs, cardamom and some spices (black pepper or Italian herbs).
Step 1. Prepare the mussels, remove the shells. Cut the onion into cubes, add cardamom to it.

Step 2. Put into a heated pan butter, wait until it melts, and then add the mussel meat and prepared onions. Fry over medium heat for no more than 7 minutes. Salt and pepper.

Step 3 Ready meal sprinkle with herbs and serve hot.

Such an appetizer in combination with lemon juice or wine sauce will be a real decoration of any table!

Mussel (mytilida) - type of bivalve molluscs, has a black smooth surface. There are freshwater mussels (reaching a length of more than 5 cm) and sea mussels (about 5 cm long).

Even when these shellfish ceased to be a delicacy and entered the daily diet of many people, not everyone learned how to cook and eat them properly. A the process of preparing and serving mussels to the table has its own rules.

Health benefits of mussels

  • The boiled shell meat is a bit like the white of a hard-boiled egg and is yellow in color with black edging. Since mussels contain a lot of starch, the meat has a sweet taste.
  • This is a storehouse of minerals: there are magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, boron, manganese, cobalt. Cobalt is very important for the process of hematopoiesis, and there is much more of it in mussels than in the liver - pork, chicken and beef. There is also an unusual animal starch - glycogen, which is an energy storage device that also serves to maintain an acceptable level of glucose in human blood, as well as digestive enzymes and other substances.
  • The calorie content of mussels is low - only 75 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, their meat is recommended for the elderly, as a dietary product for people with atherosclerosis, in order to prevent obesity in diseases of the liver, gallbladder, diabetes, patients with anemia.

  • Scientists have proven that this particular mollusk can reduce the risk of cancer. It also helps in the prevention of arthritis.
  • Eating boiled-frozen meat of mytilides, you will not only enrich your body with microelements, but also give yourself pleasure from the delicate and unique taste of the product.

How to cook mussels?

For food, it is better to use fresh, freshly caught mytilida. It's still good the next day, but taste qualities are lost. Remember The healthiest seafood is fresh.

If you bought unpeeled clams, then you need to rinse them with running water, clean the adhering mud and dirt. Please note that if the shell remains ajar after being knocked on, then such mollusks should not be eaten.

And one more thing: if after thermal treatment they did not open, then it is also better to throw them away. Never reheat mussels, it may lead to poisoning.

Shells give off a lot of moisture, so don't use too much water for cooking. They are placed in large saucepan, pour water, then put on fire for just a few minutes. Add spices. The kitchen is filled with the fresh appetizing smell of mussels. Served with hot broth and herbs.

Also, shells can be served dried, pickled, smoked, as part of salads, already peeled and in closed shells.

  • by the most in a simple way it is considered to serve clams strung on skewers, which are simply removed with a fork or immediately eaten from a skewer.
  • It's harder when mussels are served open with soup or as a separate dish.
  • To properly eat mytilides in this form, you will need special tools: an oyster fork and tweezers. Tweezers should be taken in the left hand, and the fork - in the right, this is so that your hands do not get dirty. The only difficulty will be to secure the tweezers well on the edge of the sink. Therefore, it is recommended to check the reliability of fastening several times before proceeding with the delicacy.

  • When mussels are served in liquid form, then the eating strategy is slightly simplified. The only thing, be sure to squeeze a lemon on the clam or grease it with sauce before eating. Empty shells are folded into a pre-prepared plate.
  • There are two types of eating: "drinking" the contents and using a spoon or shell.
  • If you settled on the first option, then make sure that the liquid from the sink does not drip onto your clothes, for this, press the sash closer to your mouth and use a napkin. Hold it at the bottom of your chin. When drinking a mussel, make sure that the contents are not sucked too loudly.
  • If you do not like this type of use of mussels, there is a second way - using an empty shell as a spoon.

As a rule, white is served with seafood dishes. dry wine, light beer, grape juice room temperature.

If you want to serve shellfish in shells, then there must be cups of clean water and a sliced ​​lemon on the table. Lemon is needed to treat hands from smell. You can use regular napkins, paper towels or wet wipes.

Mussel meat goes well with all vegetables., especially with potatoes, mayonnaise in various salads, various cereals(rice, buckwheat).

You can cook any dish from shellfish, if you fry or stew them with vegetables, add tomato paste, spices.

But many connoisseurs of this product prefer to cook them alone so that other ingredients do not interrupt their taste. You can also make a mussel salad.

Mussel salad

Compound:

  1. Mussels - 1 kg
  2. Onion - 2 pcs.
  3. Tomato - 4 pcs.
  4. Olives - 10 pcs.
  5. Parsley sprigs - 3 pcs.
  6. Vegetable (corn) oil - 2 tbsp.
  7. Lemon juice (vinegar)
  8. Ground black pepper

Cooking:

Overcooked shellfish meat should be mixed with tomato slices, onions, parsley, olives. We add a little lemon juice(vinegar). Put salt and pepper to taste.

A little practice - and you will no longer have a problem, how to eat mussels. You can truly enjoy a truly delicious dish in any company.

How to eat mussels

Once upon a time, only peasants in the coastal zones of the seas and oceans ate mussels, today gourmets in the best restaurants peace. A bivalve mollusk, cooked according to all the rules of cooking, has unique taste. Mussels live throughout the oceans, in many countries they are specially bred on commercial farms. How to eat mussels?

Shellfish Passport

Mussel or mytilida (lat. Mytilidae) belongs to the animal kingdom, a type of mollusk, a family of marine bivalves. This inhabitant of the sea has many genera, some of them are of commercial importance. By appearance all types of these mollusks have almost the same shell with symmetrical valves. Inside the shell is a large adductor muscle, which, by contracting, isolates the mussel from the environment. The mollusk lives by sticking to any objects with the help of the byssus - a special gland.

When opening the valves, the clam strikes with the beauty of the inner mother-of-pearl layer, as if a divine hand touched the creation of such perfection. This natural mother-of-pearl is used in the manufacture of buttons and other household items, it is an excellent material for creativity, creating sculptures, figurines and paintings.

Mussels live in colonies on coastal rocks, in clear water. In the world, more than one and a half million tons of shells are bred and collected annually. Mussel farms were invented in 1234 in Ireland. Sailors lowered oak poles into the sea and planted mussels with caviar on them, after breeding they were collected and eaten. Today, the farm has a modern look and consists of special platforms or ropes dotted with shell rock. Usually adult mussels reach their commercial size in eighteen months.

How to cook and eat mussels?

It is best to cook mussels on the day of the catch or purchase. The next day they are still edible, but the taste is lost, and the clock counts. The most delicious mussels are fresh. If the clams were collected from the sea or bought in a store along with unpeeled sashes, they must be placed under running water, mud and dirt adhering to the sink should be cleaned and the “beard” sticking out of it should be torn off.

If the shell is ajar and did not close after it was tapped, such mussels should not be eaten. All mollusks that do not open their shells after heat treatment should also be thrown away - these are damaged mussels that are unsuitable for eating. These shells emit a sufficient amount of moisture when treated with boiling water, so you do not need to pour a lot of water into the pan. Mussels are put in a large saucepan with a thick bottom, water is added and put on fire. It only takes a few minutes for the shells to open and the kitchen to be filled with the unique aroma of fresh mussels.

They are eaten immediately, without leaving the next day. Stale mussels can easily be poisoned. They take an open shell in one hand, in the other - a small fork and pry the tender mussel meat with it, separating it from the leg with rotational movements. Sometimes, instead of a fork, the leaves of already eaten mussels are used as scoops. In restaurants, mussels are served with special tongs, which open the shell and cut the leg of the muscle. The main rule is when cleaning the sash, act carefully so as not to splash the juice and accidentally get into the neighbors with a tender mollusk. An open mussel is brought to the mouth and the juice is quietly drawn in, the meat is eaten.

Usually, all seafood is served with dry white wine at room temperature or light beer. When serving mussels in shells, the table is usually served with cups of clean water and lemon slices for washing hands, paper towels or wet wipes.

Mussels are sometimes served marinated or smoked as an appetizer on cocktail sticks. In the case of such a presentation, there are no secrets of eating a delicious mollusk: they are sent to the mouth with the help of the same sticks.

It's curious

It turns out that Midia is also the name of an ancient state on the territory of the modern western Iran, which existed from 670 BC. before 550 BC Today, Kurds, Talysh and speakers of Central Iranian dialects consider themselves the heirs and streams of the ancient Medes.

In a cave on the coast of South Africa, archaeologists have discovered the oldest lunch on Earth. These were the remains of shellfish eaten by people. The find showed that one hundred and sixty-four thousand years ago, a person first introduced seafood into his usual diet, including mussels, which people still eat with pleasure.

Freshwater mussels do not have byssus and are therefore unable to attach themselves to rocks. It is in such mussels that small pearls are sometimes found, but, alas, of an imperfect form.

Once upon a time, only peasants in the coastal zones of the seas and oceans ate mussels, today gourmets in the best restaurants in the world regale themselves with a dish of these seafood. The bivalve mollusk, cooked according to all the rules of cooking, has a unique taste. Mussels live throughout the oceans, in many countries they are specially bred on commercial farms. How to eat mussels?

Shellfish Passport

Mussel or mytilida (lat. Mytilidae) belongs to the animal kingdom, a type of mollusk, a family of marine bivalves. This inhabitant of the sea has many genera, some of them are of commercial importance. In appearance, all types of these mollusks have almost the same shell with symmetrical valves. Inside the shell is a large adductor muscle, which, by contracting, isolates the mussel from the environment. The mollusk lives by sticking to any objects with the help of the byssus - a special gland. When opening the valves, the clam strikes with the beauty of the inner mother-of-pearl layer, as if a divine hand touched the creation of such perfection. This natural mother-of-pearl is used in the manufacture of buttons and other household items, it is an excellent material for creativity, creating sculptures, figurines and paintings.

How to cook and eat mussels?

It is best to cook mussels on the day of the catch or purchase. The next day they are still edible, but the taste is lost, and the clock counts. The most delicious mussels are fresh. If the clams were collected from the sea or bought in a store along with unpeeled sashes, they must be placed under running water, mud and dirt adhering to the sink should be cleaned and the “beard” sticking out of it should be torn off.

If the shell is ajar and did not close after it was tapped, such mussels should not be eaten. All mollusks that do not open their shells after heat treatment should also be thrown away - these are damaged mussels that are unsuitable for eating. These shells emit a sufficient amount of moisture when treated with boiling water, so you do not need to pour a lot of water into the pan. Mussels are put in a large saucepan with a thick bottom, water is added and put on fire. It only takes a few minutes for the shells to open and the kitchen to be filled with the unique aroma of fresh mussels.

They are eaten immediately, without leaving the next day. Stale mussels can easily be poisoned. They take an open shell in one hand, in the other - a small fork and pry the tender mussel meat with it, separating it from the leg with rotational movements. Sometimes, instead of a fork, the leaves of already eaten mussels are used as scoops. In restaurants, mussels are served with special tongs, which open the shell and cut the leg of the muscle. The main rule is when cleaning the sash, act carefully so as not to splash the juice and accidentally get into the neighbors with a tender mollusk. An open mussel is brought to the mouth and the juice is quietly drawn in, the meat is eaten.

Usually, all seafood is served with dry white wine at room temperature or light beer. When serving mussels in shells, the table is usually served with cups of clean water and lemon slices for washing hands, paper towels or wet wipes.

Mussels are sometimes served marinated or smoked as an appetizer on cocktail sticks. In the case of such a presentation, there are no secrets of eating a delicious mollusk: they are sent to the mouth with the help of the same sticks.

It's curious

It turns out that Media is also the name of an ancient state on the territory of modern western Iran, which existed from 670 BC. before 550 BC Today, Kurds, Talysh and speakers of Central Iranian dialects consider themselves the heirs and streams of the ancient Medes.

In a cave on the coast of South Africa, archaeologists have discovered the oldest lunch on Earth. These were the remains of shellfish eaten by people. The find showed that one hundred and sixty-four thousand years ago, a person first introduced seafood into his usual diet, including mussels, which people still eat with pleasure.

Freshwater mussels do not have byssus and are therefore unable to attach themselves to rocks. It is in such mussels that small pearls are sometimes found, but, alas, of an imperfect form.

Zhanna Pyatirikova


Many people have had to deal with big amount black shells on the coasts. This is what mussels are. They look the same as most bivalves. But still, unlike the rest of the family, mussels can attach to all sorts of objects.

The mussel shell consists of two wings, between which there are no muscles to connect them. The surface of the shell almost always looks black, it is smooth without any growths. The length of mussels can reach, in some cases, 30 centimeters.

Exists great amount varieties of mussels. The main ones are considered to be marine and freshwater. Mussel farms, moreover, give good profits and high yields. Breeding mussels is not difficult, the main thing is to recreate their natural habitat. It is important to know what mussels eat. As a rule, they consume detritus and protists.

Sometimes in their diet you can find small invertebrates and other unicellular. Depending on the habitat, environmental features, season, food base and physiological state, each type of mussel has its own nutritional spectrum. However, detritus predominates in the mussel diet. The researchers also found more than 48 species of planktonic algae in the stomachs of these shells.

Mussels are classified as organisms with a filtration type of nutrition. They "graze" in the water column, finding the food they need. Mussels do not hunt, but very often they simply attach to the bottom or burrow into the sand. They pass water through their body, thereby filtering plankton. The diet of mussels is quite low-calorie, in addition, the level of its consumption is also low.

But if you compare mussels with other types of shellfish, it turns out that they eat quite a lot. The metabolism of these organisms is very fast, and as a result, they require much more food than other mollusks.

It is not difficult to keep mussels, what to feed them is already known. They need salty sea water. Mussels perfectly adapt to the surf environment. They form a powerful coastal belt due to their ability to attach themselves to various substrates.

Thanks to their device, called "byssus", mussels can attach themselves to various objects. It can be rocks, sand, other shells, etc. Byssus is produced using a gland on the "leg" of the mussel, similar to a bundle of threads.

Mussels have long been used as food. Their meat has excellent taste and nutritional characteristics. That is why in recent years the number of farms for breeding mussels has increased dramatically. Creating a natural habitat and an excellent food base for mussels will make a successful business.