Black Sea mussels with wine. How to cook mussels in shells

Today, mussels are a kind of delicacy in the field of cooking. Transporting them from Europe is very expensive. Therefore, it was decided to grow mussels in Russia, namely in the Black Sea.

Without sea water, the mussel lives no more than 72 hours. Subsequently, dehydration will lead to the loss of the valuable qualities of the protein content. It must arrive in a restaurant viable for the preparation of a magnificent, incredibly tasty and healthy delicacy.

At the bottom of the Black Sea, there are also pests for growing mussels - this is a small, but very voracious rotan fish. He quietly sneaks into the web created by divers-farmers and literally swallows the entire contents of the shell. As a rule, rotan hunts in flocks. Therefore, the raid of these predatory fish always brings great damage to the development of the mussel farm.

In Russia, the industry for the production of these mollusks is well developed. Restaurants apply for the required number of mussels per month. Based on this, the farm develops a plan for working and growing these mollusks. And to get the best result, phytoplankton and other plants are created in the laboratory. It is these substances that the mussel feeds on.

The method of growing this delicacy in Russia was called quite simply - a farm. The result of her work is tens of thousands of tons of mussels. The Black Sea mussels are grown by special workers called divers-farmers who work in all weather.

They stretch tight ropes at the bottom of the sea in the form of a web, securing it with counterweights. Mussels in the Black Sea cling to a thread and stay in this position for a very long time. With low heat transfer, mussels tend to hibernate.

This is due to a decrease in their body temperature below the prescribed limit and the inability to move under these conditions, since all mollusks living on the seabed are cold-blooded.

Black Sea mussels have strong immunity and never get sick. Moreover, they themselves are able to strengthen the human immune system, ensure proper blood circulation. This is one of the benefits of growing and using them in cooking.

Mussels are further torn off the rope, “like sea buckthorn,” and collected in a large net. This net is lifted onto a special fishing boat or boat. A pit has been mounted on this vessel, where all the collected mussels are placed. They need to be cleaned and washed.

Water is launched into the pit under great pressure, and the pit begins to spin, while stirring the mussels so that each mussel is cleared of silt. Ready mussels are placed in a special container equipped with all the necessary conditions for transportation, and transported to their destination.

Everyone knows about the benefits of seafood. Among them, Black Sea mussels stand out with their valuable qualities. Delicious seafood is not a luxury for a long time. This is a low-calorie and high-protein food for everyone who cares about their health and body. Mussels are easily digestible, but at the same time they are very nutritious, and are saturated with all substances important for the human body.

Peculiarities

The main habitat of mollusks 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 attaching to stones with special protein filaments - byssus. Mussel food is plankton.

On average, the life expectancy of Black Sea mussels is about 6 years. Their northern "relatives" are able to live twice as long, and the Pacific molluscs have thirty years of life experience. Pearls in the Black Sea mussels are extremely rare.

Scope of application

The Black Sea mussel is useful not only for cleaning 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 are ideally combined with potatoes, pasta, 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. Fresh mussel opens the shells when processed at high temperatures, and if this does not happen, the shell must be discarded.

Before washing the shells, you need to hold for 2 hours in chilled water. Then it will be much easier to clean them from the sand. Thus, it is possible to calculate dead mollusks - unlike living individuals, they will not settle to the bottom, but 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 during cooking and stewing, you can pour in 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 sink, remove the top from it. Remove the clam from the lower sash with a fork. Sometimes in restaurants, when ordering mussels in shells, special tongs are served as cutlery. They grab the removed upper half of the shell and use it to extract the fleshy flesh of the mollusk from the lower sash.

It is important not to forget that mussels must be consumed immediately after cooking. Storage in the refrigerator with subsequent heating can lead to severe intoxication.

What are useful?

Mussels are a natural protein product that will compete strongly with beef and many types of fish. After all, shellfish have the most useful and rich composition. Mussel meat in large quantities contains Omega-3, a vitamin and mineral set, in particular, vitamins of groups B, C, folates. It is rich in phosphorus, manganese, zinc, iron.

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

Understanding the dietary properties of mussels from the depths of the Black Sea, scientists have determined that clam 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 have about 75% of calories compared to beef, they contain three times more natural protein, which is necessary for the functioning of the heart system. Cardiologists call Omega-3, which is rich in mussel meat, the most powerful natural cardioprotectors. If you make it a habit to regularly consume this seafood, the chance in the future to avoid heart disease and arrhythmia increases.

Scientists are sure that just 100 g of mussels every day will deliver to the body an ideal selection of the most important vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. At the same time, the harmony of forms is a pleasant accompanying “bonus”, since the product from the depths of the sea does not contribute to the deposition of fats in the body.

Contraindications and harm

But, even taking into account the rich composition of the 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 mollusks. Therefore, you need to buy live mussels, the freshness of which is obvious.

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

Be sure 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

Consider a few proven recipes that will turn clams into a real delicacy.

Mussel Roast

Ingredients:

• 400 g of 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. Then lower them for 7 minutes in boiling water. When the shell is fully opened, you can take out the meat.

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

Then send onion slices to the pan and fry, adding grated carrots. Finely chop the clam meat and put in a fry together with chopped leek. 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 of fresh Black Sea shellfish meat;
• 2-3 bulbs;
• 20 g parsley (root);
• 20 g butter;
• whole grain noodles;
• salt;
• seasonings.

Prepare clam meat: chop, fry in oil with sliced ​​onions and parsley. In parallel, put water to boil for cooking noodles. As soon as the liquid boils, salt it and put the noodles there for a few minutes. When the noodles are half cooked, add the fried mussels with onions to the water and cook until the final preparation of the products.

Pilaf with mussels and vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup round grain rice;
• 2 kg of mussels in the wings;
• 3 sweet peppers;
• 2 fleshy tomatoes;
• green onion feathers;
• spices;
• lemon;
• butter;

Cook washed rice in lightly salted water. Rinse the finished cereal and drain the liquid in a colander. Clean the shells and wash well. Heat butter in a frying pan. Finely chop the onion feathers, fry. Put the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bpeppers into the pan, fry, stirring, until the pepper softens. Add chopped tomatoes, fry, salt to taste and season with pepper.

In another pan, heat the mussels, covering the dishes with a lid. The foam that appears during the processing of shells must be drained. When the mussels open, pour them with sour citrus juice and remove from the shells, cleaning 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 smells.

Mussels with tomatoes baked in shells

Ingredients:

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

Pour 500 g of water into the pan and lower the prepared shells into it. If there are dead clams, such shells will be left swaying on the surface. Turn on a large flame under the pan. Wait for the shells to open. Remove them from the water and cool a little, remove the upper flaps. Crush the garlic with a press. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the skins, grind the pulp, combine the tomato paste with garlic.

Grind the spices in a mortar. Grate the bread, combine with tomato puree along with mashed spices. Add olive oil, mix. Arrange the mussels in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet, shell side down. Put the tomato mass in each half. Bake at 180 degrees until done (about 10 minutes).

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

Do you want to pleasantly surprise your loved ones or make an unusual gastronomic surprise for your girlfriend? Resting in the summer on the sea in the Crimea, it is very easy to do. To do this, you just need the ability to swim, a mask with a snorkel, a saucepan, a camping gas burner and very few auxiliary products. And the most important ingredient - mussels - you will get in the sea yourself.
Effectively leave the sea with prey, 15 minutes for cooking, and then all that remains is to enjoy the chic taste of shellfish and enjoy the grateful glances of your loved ones...
So, if you think that mussels can only be cooked frozen, and fresh ones are only available in restaurants, you are greatly mistaken. Cooking mussels right on the beach is very easy)

2. I'll start my next Bachelor's Dinner traditionally, with the ingredients. And then about everything else.
So, we will cook the simplest dish - fresh mussels in garlic sauce.
For this we need:
- fresh mussels (caught by hand or bought at the fish market, the main thing is that they are alive)
- garlic
- parsley
- olive oil.
And it's all. Nothing else is needed!

3. But, of course, if we will cook right on the seashore, we should not start with food.
After all, the main task on this day is a pleasant rest). The most effective thing is not to talk about the planned treat at all, but to do everything as if spontaneously.

On this day we came to one of the most beautiful Sevastopol beaches - Yashmovy, not far from Cape Fiolent.
It is here, on numerous rocks, that huge colonies of mussels grow, and cooking mussels right on the shore is even a kind of tradition for Sevastopol residents (although the dish is different with a different cooking method).
The beach here is pebbly, so the self-inflating rug Outventure, presented to me for my birthday by the Sportmaster company, came in handy, lying on which you don’t feel the stones at all.

4. The rug attracted the attention of others so much that I cannot but say a few words about it. Everything works simply - unfold, open the valve and go for a swim. It takes about 5 minutes for the rug to take in air on its own. It remains only to blow a little air, if you want it to be more dense and close the valve.
It deflates just like any air mattress - you open the valve and twist it, squeezing out the air.

5. Well, then put on a mask, snorkel and forward to the rocks, where the natural colonies of mussels settled. At Cape Fiolent there are many of them, in fact, at any rock remote from the beach, including at the foot of the rock of St. George. In half an hour, you can pick up fifty to a hundred mussels, depending on how big your company is (at the rate of about two dozen for each). Mussels grow underwater, usually among algae, and are fairly firmly attached to rocks, so it's best to pick them off with gloves instead of bare hands (ordinary building materials will do).

6. Here it is, the future treat

7. Now the mussels need to be cleaned of fouling and algae residues, because we will cook them together with the shells

8. Cleaning mussels is easy - with a knife we ​​scrape off plaque and all fouling from the valves

9. Pay special attention to the junction of the shells, where the clam has a leg. As a rule, a bunch of algae will stick out here, to which the mussel was attached under water. It also needs to be removed with a knife

10. After the mussels are cleaned, prepare a camp stove.
Of course, traditionally Sevastopol residents cook mussels on a fire on any metal sheet.
But we are on the beach, there are a lot of people resting nearby and they will not be at all delighted with the smoke of the fire.
Yes, and finding firewood for him on the seashore is very often extremely problematic. Therefore, an ideal option would be a gas burner with a cylinder. Firstly, it is smokeless, secondly, it is compact, and thirdly, it is fast and convenient.

11. I will tell you more about my new burner. Previously, I had a simpler burner, which was wound on top directly onto the cylinder.
Now for my outings and quick lunch or dinner, I use an advanced Fire-Maple burner with a flexible hose and folding legs.
What is the difference and benefits? Firstly, this model has a flexible hose, thanks to which the burner is now separate from the cylinder, and not mounted directly on it. This design is much more practical in field conditions, because you can no longer be afraid of the slightest breath of wind, which can ruin a camping dinner by turning over the “slab”, which has a very high center of gravity. Secondly, now you can use large volumes of dishes for cooking due to the increased stability of the structure, that is, you can safely cook dinner for a group of friends in one go, and not in 2-3 as before (by the way, this also leads to total savings gas). And, thirdly, the flexible hose allows you to turn the cylinder over and use all the gas from it to the end, which in some cases can be important. Still, on the remnants of gas, you can once again boil tea, for example, on a mountain hike.
And, of course, thanks to the folding legs, it's much easier to find the right surface for the "stove" than before.
If you want, install directly on rocks, sand or soil...

12. ... if you want, on any flat surface.
In general, we quickly assemble the camping stove, throw the mussels cleaned of plaque and algae into the pan, cover it with a lid and, without adding anything else, put it on a gentle fire.
Mussels, opening up, will release so much juice into the pan that after a few minutes they will already be boiling in their own boiling juice. Let them simmer for 5 minutes...

13. While the mussels are letting out juice and boiling under the lid, you need to quickly peel a few cloves of garlic and chop them finely. Then finely chop the parsley. Moreover, you can not spare the greenery.

14. Before throwing greens, we check whether all the mussels have opened, and if there are unopened clams, carefully remove them from the pan - these mussels were dead.

15. After that, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, mix and close the lid for another minute

16. After a minute, throw chopped garlic and parsley into the pan

17. ... mix, cover with a lid and keep on fire for another 5-7 minutes.
After that, turn off the gas supply to the burner and let the mussels brew for 5-10 minutes, covering the camp table.

18. Put the mussels on a plate, serve with crispy bruschetta and white wine

19. Even during cooking, the aroma from the pan was such that the vacationers, swallowing their saliva, were interested in what delicious food we were cooking. Well, the finished dish completely drives you crazy both in aroma and taste.
And yes, you don’t have to worry, garlic is not felt either in taste or in smell afterwards)

20. So, if you want to make a pleasant surprise for a girl, invite her to the beach, pick mussels and give her gastronomic pleasure...........

Bon appetit!

My previous bachelor and non-bachelor dinners:

Mussels are a delicacy and a healthy product containing natural high-quality protein, which is equivalent to a chicken egg in terms of amino acid content. In addition, mussels contain more than 30 minerals and trace elements, so in order to maintain the nutritional value of this product, you need to learn how to properly cook mussels. Soups, pilafs, salads and stews can be prepared from mussels, they are salted, marinated, boiled, fried in batter, cooked on a fire and smoked.

This dish is served with rice, potatoes, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and herbs - either peeled or in shells. Mussels taste very tender, pleasant, sweet-salty, but most importantly, they are low-calorie (80 calories per 100 grams of meat), so they can be eaten in any quantity without fear for a slim figure. Now let's try to understand how to cook mussel meat according to all the rules.

It's no secret that mussels, along with shrimps, are one of the most popular seafood in Russia. The tender meat of these mollusks is perfect for cooking a variety of dishes.

• Experts say that good mussels should smell only of the sea, and if there are extraneous odors or an unpleasant odor, then the product is spoiled.
• Mollusk shells must be tightly closed.
• Quality frozen mussels are usually light yellow in color with no cracks on the ice surface. The presence of such defects indicates that the mussels have already been defrosted, which means they have lost their useful properties.
• Large mussels are juicier and tastier than small shellfish.

Fresh mussels. How to cook frozen mussels?

• How to cook river mussels if you just bought them in the store? Fresh seafood is cooked on the same day, in extreme cases, they can be put in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days.
• Now let's talk about how much to cook mussels. Tender clams should be boiled over high heat in salted water with spices: fresh - 5-7 minutes, frozen - 7-10 minutes. Sea mussels are prepared according to the same principle.
• When we cook mussels frozen without a shell, you can ennoble their taste with lemon juice and white wine. If these products are mixed with garlic and herbs, you get the perfect sauce for mussels.

Sea and river mussels in shells: how to cook?

• Many housewives are interested in how to cook mussels in shells, and there are several important rules here. First, shells with cracks are removed (they should never be eaten), then good shells should be dipped in boiling water for two minutes, the shells should be opened, the mollusks removed and also thoroughly rinsed under running water, cleaned of algae and sand.
• How to cook mussels in shell? It is necessary to fill them with water, bring to a boil, drain the water and boil in new water for 10 minutes. As soon as the doors open and a delicious aroma spreads through the kitchen, the mussels are ready!

Serve the mussels hot and do not cook them for future use, as this dish is not recommended to be heated due to the risk of poisoning. In the preparation of mussels, there is another important secret: despite the fact that tender mollusk meat is combined with any food, it is better not to mix it with anything. How to cook fresh mussels to preserve the nobility and sophistication of this dish? Serve it separately with good white wine, lemon and herbs. Be gourmet!

Mussels are one of the most delicious delicacy foods. They are of various types, very useful, rich in natural, microelements and minerals, but at the same time very low in calories. Many different dishes can be prepared from mussels: they are baked, boiled, stewed, fried, marinated, added to, pilaf, spaghetti. Below you will learn how to cook mussels tasty, right, in shells and without them.

How to cook delicious mussels

It is known that seafood, including mussels, are. There are many options for how to easily cook 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 ice cream.

Mussels in creamy sauce

What you need:

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

How to cook:

1. Pour oil into a saucepan, put on high heat, put unfrozen peeled mussels.
2. Finely chop the herbs and garlic, add to the saucepan.
3. Gently stirring, cook for a couple of minutes, then pour over the cream.
4. Reduce the fire to a minimum, simmer the seafood in the sauce for 5-10 minutes.
5. If desired, you can salt, add 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 of vegetable oil;
• half a lemon;
• half a spoonful of salt;
• ground black pepper.

How to cook:

1. Defrost frozen seafood at room temperature, dry with a napkin.
2. Put the defrosted products on a plate, sprinkle with flour on all sides.
3. Beat the chicken egg, pour alcohol, salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle with flour and knead into a thin batter.
5. Dip the seafood in the dough, spread on a hot, oiled.
6. Fry for 4-8 minutes, stirring gently.
7. Put on a napkin, when excess fat is absorbed, transfer to a plate.

Pickled mussels

Components:

• a glass of water;
• 350 g mussels;
• half a spoonful of vinegar;
• 1.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
• lavrushka;
• sunflower oil;
• peas;
• half a teaspoon of salt.

How to cook:

1. Defrost seafood. Bring water to a boil.
2. Pour mussels with boiling water for 12 minutes, then drain the liquid.
3. Marinade - boil a glass of water, adding salt, parsley, 3 peppercorns, granulated sugar. After removing from the stove, pour vinegar.
4. Put the clams in a container, pour over the marinade, pour oil on top. Close the container until the mussels have cooled completely.

Pasta with mussels

What will be required:

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

How to cook:

1. Boil mussels.
2. Boil macaroni in salted water until tender.
3. Pour oil into a saucepan, heat and put chopped greens with garlic. Fry 4 minutes.
4. Put chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, simmer for 7 minutes.
5. Then add mussels and mix thoroughly.
6. Put the finished pasta on a plate, put the mussels in the sauce on top.

How to cook mussels in shells

Shellfish can be cooked not only in a peeled form, but also in shells. True, when buying, you should pay attention to the appearance, aroma. It is necessary that the mussels smell only of the sea, and that there are no drips and cracks on the frozen foods. If there are cracked shells in the package, they should be thrown away without sparing.

Boiled mussels - they are easy to cook. Rinse the shells, put in cold water and put on fire, bringing to a boil. Then drain the liquid and boil the shells one more time 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 couple of garlic cloves;
• fresh greens;
• a spoonful of butter and olive oil;
• 3 spoons of water;
• ground black pepper.

How to cook:

1. Rinse mussels thoroughly with a brush, throw out cracked and open ones.
2. Put the mussels in a saucepan, add water, cover with a lid and boil for about 5 minutes
3. Drain the liquid, lay out the opened shells. Remove one half of the shell, leaving the meat on the other.
4. Arrange the clams in a mold. Separately melt, cool.
5. Pour grated cheese, greens, pepper, garlic, olive oil into the oil. You can add a little lemon juice if you like.
6. Place a small amount of cheese mixture on each shell, pressing down lightly.
7. Preheat the oven and remove the mold into it for literally 3-5 minutes.

Mussels stewed with cream

Ingredients:

• 75 ml semi-dry white wine;
• clove of garlic;
• small bulb;
• 200 g of frozen mussels on one leaf;
• 100 ml of heavy cream;
• solid .

How to cook:

1. Defrost shells, rinse.
2. Heat up a frying pan greased with oil.
3. Finely chop the garlic and onion, put in a pan, cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.
4. Put the mussels shells up, pour wine and simmer for a couple of minutes.
5. Grate the cheese, put it in a saucepan. Pour in the cream, simmer until thickened.
6. Serve with sauce.

How to cook mussels

Boiling clams is quite simple, the most important thing is not to overexpose 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 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 “cooked” 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, various spices. Boiled clams can be consumed as such, 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.