How to cook frozen or fresh mussels.

How do you feel about mussels? I really love them, especially when I come across mussels in fresh. This doesn’t always happen, but now the season for this protein-rich product has just begun. And today I bought a large Black Sea mussel at our market. The most favorite dish of these are mussels with garlic and ginger, poached in wine. It's quite easy and quick to prepare.

Recipe Information

Preparation time: 30 min.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

Black Sea mussels – 1 kg
garlic to taste
ginger to taste
seafood spice mix
fennel seeds
lemon
dill
green onions
parsley
pepper mixture
butter– 30 g
wine – 100 ml.

Preparation

I don’t indicate the exact quantities of some ingredients, because everyone has their own preferences. I just want to talk about the cooking process itself, and you can add something new to your taste.
And so, here it is, a shell, inside of which there is a mollusk that has a pleasant and delicate taste. The main thing is that the shell is tightly closed, this indicates that it is fresh. If it is even slightly open, then throw it away immediately, such a mussel is unsuitable and cannot be used for food.
The first thing you need to do is tear off these fibers, with their help the mussel clings to the algae or to the pier on which it lives.
Use a knife to tear off these fluffs.
Use a knife to scrape off any growths on the shell. Then rinse the mussels well.
This dish should be prepared in a large saucepan. Heat it well over the fire, add a little butter or pour vegetable oil. Add chopped garlic and ginger there.
After the garlic and ginger have lightly sautéed, throw in all the mussels.
After about 5-10 minutes the mussels begin to open their shells, stir them. Time to pour the wine into the saucepan. It is better to take dry white or semi-sweet wine. In my case I use Home wine. Evaporate the wine for 10-15 minutes.
At this time, add all the seafood spices to the shells (I use ready mixture spices), fennel and pepper mixture also pour into a saucepan.
And now add lemon juice at the end. Mussels, like fish, cook quite quickly; we can say that when all the shells have opened, this is a sign that the dish is ready. We then simply complement their taste.
Turn off the heat and add all the chopped herbs and onions. By the way, you need to be careful with salt, because when preparing the dish, the mussels release their juice from the shells, and it is already salty, due to the fact that the mussels live in a salty environment. If you don't have enough salt, add to taste.
Transfer the prepared Black Sea mussels to a deep plate and serve.
You can pour the mussel broth into a separate plate. When you eat these tasty and tender shellfish, just scoop up the broth with a shell and enjoy tasting the mussel and broth all together. Bon appetit!
I understand that fresh mussels available only to residents of coastal settlements. But you can always buy frozen mussels and other seafood. And cook:

Everyone knows about the benefits of seafood products. Among them, Black Sea mussels stand out for their valuable qualities. Delicious seafood is no longer a luxury. This is a low-calorie and high-protein food for everyone who cares about their health and body. Mussels are easy to digest, but at the same time they are very nutritious, and are full of all the important human body substances.

Peculiarities

The main habitat of shellfish is the seabed, but the high demand for mussels by restaurateurs and consumers has led to the creation of special farms where seafood is grown artificially.

The Black Sea mussel is a bivalve mollusk with a smooth, oblong-oval shell. Mollusks live in colonies, located in the coastal zone, and attached to stones with special protein threads - byssus. The food of mussels is plankton.

On average, the lifespan of Black Sea mussels is about 6 years. Their northern “relatives” are able to live twice as long, and Pacific mollusks have a life span of thirty years. Pearls are found extremely rarely in Black Sea mussels.

Scope of application

The Black Sea mussel is useful not only for purifying sea waters, but also as a protein food product. Mussels are prepared in all sorts of ways: boiled, fried, baked, smoked and combined with other products.

The popularity of this seafood goes far beyond the Black Sea coast. All over the world, people enjoy eating mussels, enriching their diet with all the necessary substances.

Black Sea mussels go perfectly with potatoes, pasta, and vegetables. They are added to salads and first courses, sauces, stews and cereals.

Selection and preparation

Shellfish for food must be selected carefully so that the shells are intact and tightly closed. A fresh mussel opens its shell when treated with high temperature, and if this does not happen, the shell should be thrown away.

Before washing the shells, you need to soak them in chilled water for 2 hours. Then it will be much easier to clean them from sand. In this way, it is possible to identify dead mollusks - unlike living specimens, they will not settle to the bottom, but will remain on the surface. The fleshy contents of the mollusk shell are suitable for food - light, tender, sweetish in taste, with a pleasant aroma.

To improve the taste of mussels when boiling and stewing, you can add a little wine, lemon juice, add tomatoes, milk, garlic, sauce or celery. When choosing certain ingredients, you need to proceed from the selected recipe.

If you plan to serve seafood in the shell, you should remove top part. Remove the clam from the lower valve with a fork. Sometimes in restaurants, when ordering mussels in shells, special tongs are used as utensils. They grab the removed upper half of the shell and use it to extract the fleshy flesh of the mollusk from the lower valve.

It is important not to forget that mussels must be consumed immediately after preparation. Storing in the refrigerator and then reheating can lead to severe intoxication.

How are they useful?

Mussels – natural protein product, which will be a strong competitor to beef and many types of fish. After all, shellfish have the most healthy and rich composition. mussel meat large quantities contains Omega-3, a vitamin and mineral set, in particular, vitamins B, C, folates. It is saturated with phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and iron.

Even a small portion of mussels will relieve the body of fatigue, speed up metabolic processes and restore strength and lost energy. And all this thanks to vitamin B12. And the presence of selenium in the mollusk will ensure excellent functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland. Manganese in mussels is a “savior” of bone tissue and a “generator” of energy. Among other things, eating mussels is recommended for certain blood diseases.

Understanding dietary properties mussels from the depths of the Black Sea, scientists have determined that shellfish meat is comparable to red meat in terms of protein content. This is despite the fact that seafood is less fatty and does not threaten to increase cholesterol levels.

Mussels contain about 75% of the calories compared to beef; they contain three times more natural protein, which is necessary for the functioning of the cardiac system. Cardiologists call Omega-3, which mussel meat is rich in, the most powerful natural cardioprotectors. If you get into the habit of regularly consuming this seafood, you increase your chance of avoiding heart disease and preventing arrhythmia in the future.

Scientists are confident that just 100 g of mussels every day will deliver an ideal selection of the most important vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. The slimness of the form is a pleasant accompanying “bonus”, since the product from the depths of the sea does not contribute to the deposition of fat in the body.

Contraindications and harm

But, even taking into account the rich composition of Black Sea mollusks, There are a number of contraindications to their use:

personal intolerance to seafood;
problematic blood clotting.

It is impossible not to take into account the filtration of sea water by mussels, that is, harmful substances gradually accumulate in the mollusks. Therefore, you need to buy live mussels, the freshness of which is obvious.

Frozen seafood can also be eaten, but only those produced by trusted manufacturers.

It is mandatory to indicate on the packaging all the necessary information about the supplier and the terms of packaging, storage and sale.

Recipes for the fastest and most delicious dishes

Let's look at several proven recipes that will turn shellfish into a real delicacy.

Roast mussels

Ingredients:

400 g peeled mussels;
carrot;
bulb;
1/2 tsp. salt;
2 cloves of garlic;
a little leek;
2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Clean the surfaces of the sinks from dirt and wash the sashes. Next, lower them into boiling water for 7 minutes. When the shell is completely open, you can remove the meat.

Please note that frozen shells will take about 10 minutes to open.

Then add the sliced onion to the frying pan and fry, adding grated carrots. Finely chop the shellfish meat and place it in the fryer along with chopped leeks. During the frying process, constantly stir the products. At the end of cooking, squeeze the garlic through a press.

Soup "Black Sea"

Ingredients:

100 g fresh meat Black Sea mollusks;
2-3 onions;
20 g parsley (root);
20 g butter;
whole grain noodles;
salt;
seasonings

Prepare shellfish meat: chop, fry in oil with chopped onion and parsley. At the same time, bring the water to boil to prepare the noodles. As soon as the liquid boils, salt it and put the noodles in there for a few minutes. When the noodles are half cooked, add fried mussels and onions to the water and cook until the products are completely cooked.

Pilaf of mussels and vegetables

Ingredients:

1/2 cup short grain rice;
2 kg of mussels in shells;
3 sweet peppers;
2 fleshy tomatoes;
green onion feathers;
spices;
lemon;
butter;

Cook the washed rice in lightly salted water. Ready-made cereal rinse and strain the liquid in a colander. Clean the shells and wash well. Heat butter in a frying pan. Finely chop the onion feathers and fry. Place three sliced peppers in a frying pan and fry, stirring, until the peppers soften. Add chopped tomatoes, fry, add salt to taste and season with pepper.

Heat the mussels in another frying pan, covering the dish with a lid. The foam that appears during the processing of shells must be drained. When the mussels open, pour sour citrus juice over them and remove from the shells, clearing them of debris. Then the mussels need to be mixed with vegetables and simmered for a short time, until soft. At the end, combine all the ingredients with rice, let it stand and absorb the juices and odors.

Mussels with tomatoes baked in shells

Ingredients:

1 kg of shellfish;
300 g tomatoes;
40 g of stale bread;
20 ml olive oil;
2 cloves of garlic;
parsley;
carnation;
spices;
500 ml water.

Pour 500 g of water into the pan and lower the prepared shells into it. If there are dead shellfish, these shells will remain fluttering on the surface. Turn on a large flame under the pan. Wait for the shells to open. Remove them from the water and cool slightly, remove the top flaps. Crush the garlic with a press. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the skins, grind the pulp, combine tomato paste with garlic.

Grind the spices in a mortar. Grate the bread, combine with tomato puree along with crushed spices. Add olive oil, stir. Place the mussels in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet, shells down. Place tomato mixture in each half. Bake at 180 degrees until cooked (about 10 minutes).

You will learn how to cook mussels with wine and tomatoes in the following video.

One of the most delicious delicacies is mussels. They are various types, very healthy, rich in natural microelements and minerals, but very low in calories. You can prepare many different dishes from mussels. different dishes: they are baked, boiled, stewed, fried, marinated, added to pilaf, spaghetti. Below you will learn how to cook mussels deliciously, correctly, in shells and without them.

How to cook delicious mussels

It is known that seafood, including mussels, are... There are many ways to easily prepare mussels for dinner. Here are a few recipes that will make your partner go crazy, and you yourself will not remain indifferent. You can cook fresh mussels or frozen ones.

Mussels in creamy sauce

What you will need:

a pair of garlic cloves;
3-4 spoons of heavy cream;
greens, parsley, dill, ;
400 g frozen mussels;
a couple of spoons of olive oil.

How to cook:

Pour oil into a saucepan, put on high heat, add unthawed peeled mussels.
Finely chop the herbs and garlic and add to the saucepan.
Stirring gently, cook for a couple of minutes, then pour in the cream.
Reduce heat to low and simmer seafood in sauce for 5-10 minutes.
If desired, you can add salt and grated cheese.

Seafood in batter

Ingredients:

3 spoons of flour;
400 g of frozen mussels, or a kilogram with shells;
100 ml white;
egg;
230 ml vegetable oil;
half a lemon;
half a spoon of salt;
ground black pepper.

How to cook:

Defrost frozen seafood at room temperature, dry with a napkin.
Place the defrosted food on a plate and sprinkle flour on all sides.
Beat a chicken egg, pour in alcohol, salt and pepper.
Add flour and knead into a thin batter.
Dip the seafood into the dough and place it on a hot, greased surface.
Fry for 4-8 minutes, stirring gently.
Place on a napkin when excess fat absorbed, transfer to a plate.

Marinated mussels

Components:

glass of water;
350 g mussels;
half a spoon of vinegar;
1.5 spoons of granulated sugar;
lavrushka;
sunflower oil;
peas;
half a spoon of salt.

How to cook:

Thaw seafood. Bring the water to a boil.
Pour boiling water over the mussels for 12 minutes, then drain the liquid.
Marinade - boil a glass of water, adding salt, bay leaf, 3 peppercorns, granulated sugar. After removing from the stove, add vinegar.
Place the shellfish in a container, pour in the marinade, and pour oil on top. Close the container until the mussels have cooled completely.

Pasta with mussels

What you will need:

300 g fresh tomatoes;
3 spoons of olive oil;
salt, ground pepper;
350 g mussels;
350 g short;
a couple of cloves of garlic;
fresh greens.

How to cook:

Boil the mussels.
Boil pasta in salted water until fully cooked.
Pour oil into a saucepan, heat and add chopped herbs and garlic. Fry for 4 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and simmer for 7 minutes.
Then add the mussels and mix thoroughly.
Place on a plate ready-made pasta, place mussels in sauce on top.

How to cook mussels in shells

Shellfish can be cooked not only in their peeled form, but also in their shells. However, when purchasing, you should pay attention to appearance, aroma. It is necessary that the mussels smell only of the sea, and that there are no streaks or cracks on the frozen products. If there are cracked shells in the package, they should be thrown away without regret.

Boiled mussels are easy to prepare. Wash the shells and put them in cold water and put on the fire, bringing to a boil. Then drain the liquid and boil the shells again in cold water for about 12 minutes. If desired, you can sprinkle with spices and fresh herbs.

Baked mussels

fresh seafood in shells 500 g;
a small piece of hard;
a pair of garlic cloves;
fresh herbs;
a spoonful of butter and olive oil;
3 spoons of water;
ground black pepper.

How to cook:

Rinse the mussels thoroughly with a brush, discard any cracked or open ones.
Place the mussels in a saucepan, add water, cover with a lid and boil for about 5 minutes.
Drain the liquid and set aside the opened shells. Remove one half of the shell, leaving the meat on the other.
Place the clams in the pan. Melt separately and cool.
Add grated cheese, herbs, pepper, garlic, olive oil into the oil. If desired, you can add a little lemon juice.
Place a little cheese mixture on each shell, pressing down lightly.
Preheat the oven and remove the pan in it for literally 3-5 minutes.

Mussels stewed in cream

Ingredients:

75 ml semi-dry white wine;
garlic clove;
small onion;
200 g frozen mussels per shell;
100 ml heavy cream;
solid .

How to cook:

Defrost the sinks and rinse them.
Heat a greased frying pan.
Finely chop the garlic and onion, place in a frying pan, cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.
Place the mussels with the shells up, pour in the wine and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Grate the cheese and pour into a saucepan. Pour in the cream, simmer until thick.
Serve with sauce.

How to cook mussels

Boiling shellfish is quite simple; the most important thing is not to overcook them in water, otherwise they will become rubbery and inedible. Mussels with shells should first be thoroughly washed and brushed. Boil them in cold water twice. The first time, bringing it to a boil, and the second time, boiling them for 5-7 minutes after boiling.

Peeled frozen mussels do not need to be boiled, because they are boiled before freezing. They can be thawed and “finished” using a water bath.

If the recipe says “boil”, then you can cook them for no more than 10 minutes. Lightly salt the water and add fresh herbs and various spices. Boiled shellfish can be consumed this way, or added to salads, rice, pasta, spaghetti, even in...

You can also first boil the broth with herbs, spices, carrots, and after boiling, add the peeled mussels and cook for 5-10 minutes.

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. Prerequisite for the life of mussels - 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 one is interesting and not difficult process According to some sources, it 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, the majority of mussels are grown by the Spaniards, and quite a large amount of this seafood is also exported New Zealand. 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 are different 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 like dietary product, recommended for those who complain of atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, anemia, as well as 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. sharp knife 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 cooked as a sauce. It is very popular to serve mussels as they are, without changes - in shells. Then everyone takes them with their hands, holds the shell with one hand, and scoops out the meat with the other hand using a fork. Mussels in shells are also added to soups - they improve the taste of the broth.

Preparing mussels is easy and simple. The most popular way is to simmer in water or white wine with seasonings (garlic, lemon, parsley, bay leaf). There is no need to pour a lot of water or wine into the pan, just to the very bottom, because the shells contain quite a lot of water, which is released during cooking. The mussels do not take long to cook - over high heat it only takes a couple of minutes for the shells to open (this means that the mussels are ready). By the way, if some shells did not open during cooking, they should not be eaten either.

Fresh mussels, like oysters, can be eaten unboiled by adding lemon juice. But it’s better to leave this method of consuming this wonderful seafood to gourmets; we still recommend boiling them. Or grill it. It's also very tasty. The principle is the same - fry until the shells open.

If you bought frozen mussels, then all you need to do is defrost them at room temperature or in warm water, rinse in 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 for cooking different soups, the basis of which can be a broth 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 They are glad that the meat of these seafood goes well with other products, vegetables, and low-fat mayonnaise.

Frying mussels with various additives, for example, vegetables, various cereals- 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 already in ready 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 boiled spaghetti in heatproof bowls, place a spoonful of butter on top and canned tomatoes along with mussel shells. Inside each shell, add the thick mass that we prepared before, and place the entire bowl in hot oven. 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 are offering to you great recipe pasta.

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 pan with a thick bottom and fry chopped garlic in it for 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.

Let's cook first fresh vegetables. Garlic, onion, fresh pepper, celery and tomato cut into as small cubes as possible. Before cutting the garlic, crush it with a knife - this way you will get a stronger flavor.

Fry the prepared vegetables in a saucepan. To make it tastier, we use butter for frying. When it melts, add the chopped vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like it spicy, we recommend adding a little chili pepper.

When the vegetables have softened, add white wine and squeeze the juice from half a lemon. While the sauce simmers, the alcohol evaporates and only the taste of the wine remains.

In the end, we put the thawed mussels in the pan and simmer a little more until the water that comes out of the mussels evaporates and the vegetables soften, but do not disintegrate.

If you are using fresh mussels, simmer until the mussels open, and then for another 5-6 minutes. If your mussels are frozen, then you need to simmer for a total of 5 minutes. The most important thing is not to simmer for too long, as the mussels will begin to fall out of the shells.

Place the cooked mussels in a bowl or deep plate and pour over the wine and vegetable sauce. You can dip French loaf in it.

Parsley is very suitable for decoration, but if you don’t have it, you can use green onions or other greens. Chilled white wine goes well with this dish.

Mussels are probably known to every person, as they are found everywhere in freshwater reservoirs and seas. The Black Sea species (Mytilus galloprovincialis) can be found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Bivalve mollusk meat tastes good and is rich in vitamins and microelements. It is widely used in cooking and is considered a delicacy, especially in the cuisine of coastal peoples. But mussels are also an important part of aquatic ecosystems, including the Black Sea, passing through, filtering and purifying tons of water.

General characteristics of mussels

Mussels belong to bivalve mollusks and received their name because of the structure of the shell, which has two identical and symmetrical valves, closed with the help of a protein ligament and “lock-teeth”. The external skeleton not only protects the delicate body and internal organs the mollusk from external danger and predators, but also participates in the process of feeding and movement. The shell is made of calcium minerals, increasing in size every year. The total number of years can be calculated by rings on the surface or layers on its cut. Typically, bivalves live from 2 to 5 years, reaching an average size of 10-15 centimeters.

The shell is very important for mussels and is the only protective means, since they are representatives of a sedentary and motionless lifestyle. Mussels live on muddy bottoms or hard surfaces, attaching to them using a special protein enzyme called byssus. Often, mollusks gather in huge colonies (druses), clinging to each other. Bivalves are very prolific and numerous, so such “communities” can number hundreds and thousands of individuals.

Colony of mussels on a rusty pile

mussels feed organic substances, located in the water, “sucking” it into the sink using siphons, filtering it and returning it back “clean”. This feeding feature makes bivalves an important element of ecosystems, and their numbers turn them into real filtering and purification “stations.” It also repels some people from eating mussels - the shellfish accumulates what was in the water, so they consider its meat “contaminated.”

One of the most common and numerous species of mussels is the Black Sea mussel, described in 1819 by the French biologist Jean Baptiste Lamarck. This bivalve mollusk does not live only in the Arctic Ocean, and its meat was even included in the diet of North American Indians.

Adult Black Sea mussels have an oblong shape, 10-12 centimeters in length, with a dark shell color, and are not long-lived. As habitats, mollusks prefer to choose muddy areas of the seabed or hard surfaces of reefs, rocks and breakwaters, where colonies of many thousands are found. They can be found in coastal waters all along the coast. Black Sea, but individual representatives were also spotted at depths of 20-30 meters.

Dish with mussels

The Black Sea mussel belongs to edible species and is the object of fishing in industrial scale. Shellfish meat is considered dietary, rich in protein and amino acids, vitamins A, B and D. Nutritionists recommend eating it to strengthen the immune system, normalize metabolism and “cleanse” the blood. Mussels are not only collected in the natural environment, but also grown on special farms, from where the meat goes to stores and restaurants, while only the shell, byssus and the protein ligament that closes the shell valves are not eaten.

Features of Black Sea mussels

A feature of the Black Sea mussel can be considered its ability to form pearls that do not have jewelry value, but can still look quite attractive. For the most part, these are formations of a “cloudy” color and irregular shape, and there may be several of them inside one shell.

Mussels

What also stands out is the inability of the Black Sea mussels to protect themselves from their most dangerous enemy -