How to cook frozen peeled mussels. How to cook frozen mussels according to the Black Sea style. Great appetizer for a holiday table

More and more people are mastering seafood recipes. Shrimp and squid are starting to confidently outshine croutons for beer and crab sticks in salads. But not everyone knows how to cook mussels yet.

You will need:

• Mussels;
• Water;
• Salt, spices to taste.

In regions far from the sea, these delicious shellfish most often end up in the form of a semi-finished product. They can be smoked, canned, boiled or frozen. True, in coastal countries every housewife has long had a favorite recipe with them, but in the middle zone few people know how to cook mussels correctly. But it’s not difficult at all!

Instruction 1

The remaining broth can be strained and used for sauces or soups. And the meat of sea creatures can already be eaten. Or cook frozen mussels according to some more interesting recipe - as you please.

The situation becomes slightly more complicated if you are lucky enough to get unpeeled shellfish in their shells. They will be even tastier, more tender and aromatic, although you will have to tinker with them a little longer.

Instruction 2

Further, everything is the same as in the case of frozen mussels. The shellfish are completely ready. You can return them to one of the shell flaps, pour lemon juice over them and eat them like that. Either put them in a salad, stew them with onions, or come up with something else. In any case, it will be delicious.

Bon appetit!

Tender, softest, with a sweet, pleasant taste, mussels, due to their low price, are called “oysters for the poor” - a storehouse of minerals and vitamins. These cute mollusks are rich in phosphorus, iron, zinc, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. And in terms of the amount of protein, mussels cannot match either fish or beef. Eating properly prepared shellfish strengthens the immune system, normalizes liver function, and improves metabolism. And the presence of vitamin E helps the skin look healthy and radiant.

Dishes of stewed, fried, boiled, and smoked mussels are included in the cuisines of many countries. There are hundreds of cooking recipes! Almost 1.5 million tons of this delicious shellfish are eaten in the world every year. More than half of them are raised on farms. Irish sailors came up with a way to breed mussels in the 13th century - they lowered oak tables into the sea, to which nimble specimens were attached using their threads secreted by special glands. Attaching to various supports, rocks and each other, merging into “druzes” is the favorite way of existence of mussels.

Canned, frozen, peeled or shelled shellfish are sold in any store. Nothing can compare in taste or beneficial properties to fresh mussels just cooked in their shells.

Three simple recipes for mussels cooked in shells
Mussels that are suitable for consumption are those whose valves are tightly closed. Individuals whose shells are damaged are also not suitable for use. But during heat treatment, the shells should open slightly; if this does not happen, the mussel is sick and should be thrown away without regret.

But first, you need to rinse the mussels well, clean them of dirt, hardened pieces of sand, algae, and limestone build-up. To do this, they are immersed in very cold water for a few minutes and then carefully cleaned with a dull knife.

1. Boiled mussels. The easiest way to cook mussels in shells is to boil them. In addition, this option is fast and healthy - the mollusk does not lose its healing properties.

   List of required ingredients:

   • mussels in shells - 2 kg (fresh, well washed);
     
   • salt - 1 tbsp. spoon;
     
   • juice of 1 lemon;
     
   The cooking process itself is as follows:
   • boil 1 liter of water;
     
   • add salt and lemon juice to boiling water;
     
   • Carefully lower the mussels into the pan and cover with a lid;
     
   • After 5 minutes, remove from the boiling water those shellfish whose shells have opened. You can wait another two minutes. If any unopened mussels remain, they should be discarded - the total cooking time should not exceed 7 minutes!
     
   • Place the mussels on a plate and serve immediately with cold white wine or beer.
     
2. Mussels stewed in sauce. Mussels in their shells can be stewed in a little water, wine or sauce. One of the simplest and most popular recipes is stewed mussels in garlic sauce.

   Ingredients required for preparation:

   • mussels in shells - 1 kg (fresh, well washed);
     
   • garlic - 5 cloves;
     
   • juice of one lemon;
     
   • several sprigs of parsley;
     
   • a pinch of black pepper;
     
   • salt;
     
   • butter - 50 gr.;
     
   • cream - ½ tbsp.
     
   Cooking process:
   • Place the mussels in a saucepan with cold water and heat over high heat for several minutes until the valves begin to open (the mussels should not be completely in the water - the shells open from the steam);
     
   • Transfer the mussels whose shells have opened to a frying pan, removing the top flap - your mussel will remain on the bottom of the shell. Unopened specimens should be discarded;
     
   • add half a glass of water, salt, add butter and heat the contents of the pan for a minute;
     
   • squeeze out the garlic, pour in the cream and simmer until the sauce turns into a creamy mass;
     
   • Once the sauce has thickened, transfer the mussels from the frying pan to a large platter;
     
   • Add pepper and very finely chopped parsley to the sauce and pour it over the mussels.
     
3. Mussels baked in the oven.

   To prepare mussels according to this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

   • mussels in shells - 1 kg (fresh, well peeled);
     
   • grated tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
     
   • stale bread, grated on a coarse grater - 2 pieces;
     
   • olive oil - 1 tbsp. spoon;
     
   • garlic - 2 cloves;
     
   • cloves - 1 pc.;
     
   • salt pepper;
     
   • parsley - 1 sprig.
     
   The cooking process consists of the following steps:
   • Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan, place the mussels in it and place on high heat;
     
   • as soon as the shells begin to open, quickly transfer the mussels to the dishes prepared in advance, let them cool, and then remove the top flap;
     
   • While the mussels are cooling, finely chop the parsley, grind it with salt, pepper, and cloves. Add grated tomatoes, bread crumbs, olive oil and mix well. If the mixture seems dry to you, you can dilute it with a few tablespoons of cold water;
     
   • Place halves of shells with mussels on a greased baking sheet, place half a teaspoon of the mixture on each;
     
   • bake in a well-heated oven for 10 minutes at 190 C;
     
   • It is better to serve immediately, placing it on a large platter. You can sprinkle with very finely chopped parsley.
     

• try boiling mussels in water half and half with white wine (1 glass of water, 1 wine) - the shellfish acquires a subtle aroma and taste of wine, which slightly changes the shades of the dish;
  
• If you bought fresh mussels and washed them, you can store them in a damp kitchen towel for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Or freeze for three months by placing in a plastic container and adding a little water to the cleaned shells.
  

Mussels are a tasty, affordable, healthy product. And the simpler the method of preparing it, the better the result. In Belgium, where mussels are declared the national dish, they are served hot, quickly boiled, in black pots, with fried potatoes, chilled beer or very cold white wine.

Interesting facts about mussels

• mussels live in an oval shell that reaches a length of 20 centimeters. You can tell the age of the mussel by the stains on the outside of the shell. Depending on the habitat, the life expectancy of a mussel ranges from 5 to 30 years;
  
• settlements of mollusks sometimes reach gigantic sizes, accumulating in colonies, they form entire heaps of shells, reaching in some cases up to tens of meters in diameter. But on average, 20 kg of mollusks live on one meter of area;
  
• mussels are excellent seawater filtrates. One adult can pass through up to 80 liters per day, removing plant plankton, bacteria, and detritus, performing the important function of purifying sea water; The reason for cases of mussel poisoning is also hidden here - poisonous seaweed sometimes gets into their food, which makes the shellfish dangerous for consumption;
  
• it has been established that humans have been eating mussels since the Neolithic era;
  
• Often pearls are born in shells, very small in size and cloudy in color. The largest, up to 5 mm in diameter, were found in the shell of a huge specimen caught in the Gulf of Feodosia. In total, there were 133 (!) stones in the shell;
  
• Mussel Day is held annually in the Belgian town of Jerseke. Ersek is the world's only mussel exchange and is considered the unofficial capital of the shellfish. On endless tables along the coast, guests eat freshly boiled mussels, scooping out their tender light meat with one shell from the other, washed down with beer and white wine.
  

Seafood, in particular mussels, is the most valuable and healthy food, necessary for people of all ages as a source of iodine, phosphorus and special protein. However, here a problem arises - few people know how to properly cook mussels in shells and what to do with them after cooking.

Since mussels are most often sold frozen, look at the description on the packaging. If it says simply “frozen”, defrost and cook as if raw. We'll tell you how to cook mussels in shells.

Ingredients:

• large fresh or defrosted mussels – 15-20 pcs.;
• filtered or bottled water – 1 glass;
• cold-pressed oil, optional olive or sunflower oil – 1/3 cup;
• garlic – 2-3 cloves (optional ingredient).

Preparation

To cook mussels, you will need a thick-walled saucepan or stewpan; you can also use a frying pan with high sides and a thick bottom, but without Teflon. Add water and oil. Do not stir - during the heating process the liquids will combine. Add finely chopped garlic to the boiling liquid and immediately add the mussels. Regardless of whether you are preparing fresh or defrosted shellfish, rinse the mussels thoroughly - a lot of dirt, sand and algae residues accumulate in the shells. We put the washed mussels in a colander, and then immediately send them to cook. Cover our container with a lid and shake vigorously every 2 minutes. If the mussels are cooked, the cooking time is 4 minutes, for raw and defrosted - 10 minutes. After this, we choose how to further prepare the mussels in their shells; the cooking recipe may include frying, baking, stewing, or adding to salads.

Ingredients:

• thawed large mussels – 15-18 pcs.;
• hard “Dutch” or “Russian” cheese – 120-140 g;
• medium fat or thick, non-watery sour cream - 100 g;
• lemon – ¼ piece;
• garlic – 2 small cloves (optional).

Preparation

If you don’t know the best way to cook frozen mussels in shells, use this recipe. It's simple, fast, inexpensive and very tasty. Let's defrost the mussels and let the moisture drain, after which we separate the body of the mollusk from the shell, and peel off the remaining dense leg with a spoon and throw it away - you shouldn't eat it. Cut the mussel bodies into several parts - not small. Three cheeses on the finest grater available. In a bowl, mix cheese, mussels, crushed garlic and sour cream or mayonnaise. Place the resulting mass into shells and bake in the oven or grill for 10 minutes. As you might guess, you can cook fresh mussels in shells in the same way, only we first cook them and open them.

We have already told you how to cook mussels in shells, and you can stew peeled shellfish in an incredibly tasty way in a frying pan. However, you can also stew it with shells, removing them when eating.

Ingredients:

• peeled clams - 2 large handfuls;
• shallots – 2 handfuls;
• ripe tomatoes, with dense pulp – 3 pcs.;
• sweet green pepper – 1 pod;
• , preferably cold pressed – 3 tbsp. spoons;
• oregano – 1 pinch dried or 1 sprig fresh.

Preparation

We clean and finely chop the onions, cut the pepper into several parts, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the skin and grate them or turn them into puree using a blender. Heat the oil well, quickly fry the onion and pepper over high heat, add tomato puree and reduce the heat. Evaporate the liquid by about half, then add the mussels. If they are fresh, there is no need to cook them. If frozen, defrost and plunge into boiling water for a couple of minutes to eliminate the presence of bacteria. Simmer the mussels covered for 5 minutes, then add the oregano. If desired, you can pour in a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, or squeeze out a clove of garlic. Traditionally, these mussels are served sprinkled with finely chopped feta. This dish can also be served in shells. As you can see, preparing mussels in shells deliciously is not so difficult.

We were lucky then - we collected sea mollusks ourselves more than once. Oh, what wonderful evening gatherings these were - mussels, wine (yes, I confess, I deviated a little from the point, but that’s what it’s all about, vacation), great company, what else do you need for happiness?

Choosing fresh shellfish

Let me remind you that we will cook the mussels in the sink, unpeeled.

Yes, of course, you can also make a lot of delicacies from already peeled ones - soups, salads, etc., but live, or at least frozen, shellfish are especially tasty in their shell.

There was no doubt about the freshness of our mussels - here they are, only collected from the sea with our own hands.

But even in this case, you need to look carefully - The shell of a good live mussel is always tightly closed, you can’t open it with your hands.

You can also arrange an additional test in water by filling the raw delicacy completely - the living ones will sink to the bottom, and the empty shells will remain on top.

If you buy, then also pay attention to this sign, even if you buy frozen mussels. It wouldn’t hurt to smell the product you’re purchasing - the smell of seafood is clean and subtle.

The slightest suspicion of a low-quality shellfish is a reason to throw away the shell, since poisoning from stale mussels is very dangerous!

How to cook delicious mussels in shells

Before boiling mussels in their shells, frying or baking, it is important to properly prepare the shellfish:

• we clean off everything unnecessary from the doors - limescale, algae, etc.;
• rinse well under running water;
• if there is a “beard” peeking out of the shell, tear it off (if it is inside, then remove it after cooking);
• We carefully inspect it again to make sure there are no cracks or chips.

It is convenient to clean the shells with a steel dishwasher.

If you see that the catch is very large, put the excess in the freezer - you can store mussels like this for 2 months.

Bake over a fire or grill

I’ll start with my favorite option, that is, the way to cook fresh mussels in shells over an open fire.

These taste amazing - with a light smoky aroma and juicy pulp. Preparing them, as it turns out, is not difficult.

What you will need:

• mussels - in any quantity

Process step by step:

1. Before cooking mussels over a fire, you need to not only clean the shells well, but also make the fire itself. You need to fry mussels on the grill over high heat, and not over coals, like or.
2. Place mussels in portions on a grill grate or just any suitable metal sheet - literally after 2-3 minutes they begin to open, releasing excess liquid.
3. After opening, wait another 2-3 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. You can turn the shell over. During this time, the doors should open. Those that remain closed should be thrown away - they are not suitable for food.!
4. Serve the fried mussels over the fire in their shells, cooled, with lemons cut in half - everyone will open it, drip lemon juice onto the tender meat and enjoy the delicious delicacy.

You can fry mussels at home in a frying pan over high heat, but then there will be no smoky smell.

How to cook correctly

The most common cooking method is boiling.

Moreover, there is no difference in how to boil fresh mussels in shells and how to boil frozen ones.

In the latter case, you just need to either defrost the shellfish first, or take into account that it will take more time to cook.

Calorie content 100 g - 61 kcal, bju - 11 g protein, 2 g fat, 0 g carbohydrates.

By the way, mussels in shells are almost the only product that can be safely defrosted in water; this will not affect the taste, smell or quality.

What do you need:

• fresh mussels - 2 kg
• lemon - half
• dill - bunch
• salt - 1-2 tsp.
• spices - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Pour 3 liters of water into a large saucepan (at least 5 liters), add salt, lemon, spices and dill and boil.
2. Place the prepared shellfish - washed and peeled - into boiling water and wait for it to boil again.
3. Now about the most important thing - how long to cook fresh mussels in shells. Remember: after 5 minutes turn it off m and drain the water, the seafood is ready. We throw away the unopened ones.
4. Serve with lemon or whatever you like. You can prepare a sauce, for example, tzatziki, the recipe for which is.

If we cook seafood for further cooking - baking in the oven, in a frying pan or for some other recipe with heat treatment, then after boiling again, wait 3 minutes. Otherwise, the meat will not be so tender afterwards.

Recipe for cooking in the oven with cheese

This option is for those who want to make a real exquisite masterpiece at home, which will be appreciated even by gourmets.

We take already boiled mussels (see previous recipe)

Calorie content 100 g - 190 kcal, bju - 10 g protein, 13 g fat, 6 g carbohydrates.

What you will need:

• shellfish boiled in shells - 2 kg
• bran - 4-5 tbsp.
• dry spices - to taste
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• butter - 50 g
• soft tender cheese - suluguni, mozzarella - 200 g
• Parmesan or other hard cheese - 100 g

How to bake:

1. We open the boiled mussels, throw away the empty shell, and place the one in which the shellfish remains, immediately on a baking sheet.
2. In a deep bowl, combine softened butter, grated soft cheese, pressed garlic, spices, soy sauce and breadcrumbs. You should get a fairly thick mass.
3. Place a spoonful of minced cheese into each clam shell.
4. Sprinkle the top of the sash and its contents with grated Parmesan.
5. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

Cook in a frying pan in spicy tomato or mild creamy sauce

Another way to cook mussels deliciously is to fry them in a frying pan with tomato sauce and chili pepper.

Hot sauce can be replaced with a more delicate creamy one. The recipe is simple, and the result is no worse than in restaurants

Calorie content 100 g - 110-120 kcal, bju - 11-13 g protein, 7-9 g fat, 10-6 g carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

• clams in shells - 1 kg
• olive oil - 100 ml

for the chili sauce:

• tomatoes - 4-5 pcs.
• sweet pepper - 2 pcs.
• chili - to taste.
• salt, spices - optional

for cream sauce:

• cream - 300 ml
• garlic - 2 cloves
• bunch of dill
• soy sauce - 2 tbsp.

How to cook:

1. We clean the freshly picked sea mussels well, wash them and dry them. Frozen store-bought ones are simply defrosted and washed.
2. Preparation of chili sauce: cut all the vegetables into medium pieces and puree in a blender, add salt and add any spices. Dried or fresh basil and parsley will fit perfectly.
3. The creamy version is prepared in the same way: beat all the ingredients in a blender for half a minute, except soy sauce, otherwise the cream may curdle.
4. Pour oil into a deep frying pan, heat it and immediately pour in the raw delicacy - the mussels will open right in the hot oil.
5. After 5 minutes, throw away the clams with unopened shells and pour the sauce into the pan. Cook for another 5-6 minutes over high heat.

• If you are still just learning the theory of how to cook fresh mussels in shells, I advise you to start with simple recipes to “get a feel” for the product. You can simply boil it or fry it over a fire. So appreciate the specifics of preparation and the pure taste and aroma.
• Please note that not all recipes contain salt! The meat of the sea mollusk itself can be eaten without any salt at all.
• Once again about storage. The best place is the freezer, but you can store fresh mussels in the refrigerator, although not longer than 2 days. Already cooked ones should be eaten immediately - boiled, fried or baked mussels should not be stored.
• All these recipes are suitable for preparing not only ordinary Black Sea mussels, but also more exotic green mussels. Green mussels in half shells under cheese look especially impressive.

At sea, in the company of friends, etiquette rules are of no use. We ate mussels with our hands and a fork - as it was convenient for us. But in a restaurant you will have to use cutlery. However, there is another option for how to eat mussels correctly. According to the author of the video, this is how it is customary to eat the dietary delicacy in France:

Refined taste, low calorie content, high content of amino acids and microelements, the presence of vitamins B, D and E - this is an incomplete list of all the excellent qualities that make mussels popular among gourmets around the world.

To this should also be added a large amount of glycogen - the body's reserve energy reserve, as well as the fact that the amount of protein in these bivalve mollusks exceeds its content in beef and fish. In addition, mussels are easy to prepare and can be either an independent dish or part of complex recipes. This seafood can reach the table of the Russian consumer in two forms - fresh (which is quite rare and available only to residents of coastal areas) and frozen. In addition, you can buy shellfish, peeled and in shells. And it is the degree of their freshness and whether they have been pre-treated that will determine how long the preparation will take and how to cook the mussels.

How to determine suitability for consumption

Despite the fact that this shellfish is a product of excellent taste, you should still remember that food poisoning from seafood is the most dangerous. Before cooking mussels, you need to make sure they are suitable for consumption. In Russian stores you can buy frozen shellfish in a whole shell, on one shell and in the form of peeled fillets.

How suitable these seafood are for food can be understood only after they are thawed. However, when purchasing, you should pay attention to whether there is a lot of ice on the package, whether there are yellow deposits - all this is evidence that the mussels have already been defrosted, and it is better to refuse to purchase such products. Thawed shellfish without an unpleasant odor and with elastic, light-colored meat are considered unspoiled. If it is seafood in shells, then they are also inspected for integrity - the shells must be tightly closed and not have deep cracks. Those who are lucky enough to purchase freshly caught mussels should remember that the mollusks must undergo mandatory heat treatment within 24 hours after catching.

How to cook clams in shells

Before boiling mussels in their shells, regardless of whether they were purchased frozen or fresh, they must be pre-processed. To do this, the surface of the shells is cleaned under running water from sand and algae, and then boiled for two minutes in a container with a large amount of salted water with spices.

By the way, how long to cook the mussels depends on the fact whether the shellfish is already peeled or in the shell. Seafood in shells requires longer cooking - they need to be boiled twice. After the first boil, the shells are filled with cold water a second time, brought to a boil again and cooked, but for seven to ten minutes.

How to cook clam fillet

And in conclusion, a few words about how to cook peeled mussels. These shellfish have already been pre-cooked, so cooking them will require much less time and effort. You can boil seafood either over fire or in the microwave. The only condition is that before cooking the mussels, they should be thawed at room temperature. Then they are washed and placed in a container of water, where salt and the necessary seasonings are added. After boiling, the mussels are boiled for another five to seven minutes. In a microwave oven, cleaned shellfish are cooked in a small amount of water on high power for ten minutes.