How to cook peeled mussels at home

The life of the peoples of the sea has always been inextricably linked with its gifts.
This fact is difficult to refute. After all, if it is quite difficult to find material evidence of the consumption of certain cereals, vegetables, and fruits, then archaeologists discover remains of fish bones or shellfish shells during excavations of settlements dating back to the Middle Paleolithic.

Useful properties of mussels

Mussels contain a large number of useful substances that not only help maintain health, but also reduce the risk of developing dangerous and even fatal diseases:

1. Mussels are rich in biologically active substances that perform a number of important functions in the human body. Thus, B vitamins have a positive effect on brain function, and fatty acids reduce the risk of cancer.
2. The composition contains essential amino acids, for example, taurine, which reduces the intensity of pain after active physical activity.
3. Mussels are also rich in antioxidants, which protect cells from chronic inflammation and free radicals.
4. Seafood contains selenium, which helps normalize the production of thyroid hormones.
5. Mussels are good for vision, as the presence of omega-3 reduces the risk of age-related degeneration of the eyeball. Polyunsaturated acids also reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and prevent the formation of blood clots.
6. The delicacy is rich in vitamin B 12 and iron, and, as is known, a deficiency of such substances causes the development of anemia.
7. Mussels and many seafood are rich in proteins, which can help you control your weight.

Despite the fact that mussels are very useful, you should not abuse them, because they, as inhabitants of the aquatic environment, are capable of accumulating mercury and other heavy metals.

Octopuses

Large octopus must be defrosted before cooking.

How to clean

Rinse the defrosted octopus with cold water. Turn the carcass inside out, remove the entrails, ink sac and beak. Rinse again with water.

How to cook

Place the cleaned and gutted octopus into boiling water. Add salt at the very end of cooking, and choose other seasonings to taste. Often allspice, bay leaves, lemon slices, carrots, and celery stalks are added to the water. Cooking time depends on the size of the seafood. It may take from 5 to 30 minutes.

Fish&More baby octopuses cook much faster! They are already cleaned and do not need to be defrosted. Just pour boiling water over the carcasses and add to any dishes.

Where to add

Octopus can be served as an independent dish or as an ingredient for salads, risotto, and pasta.

How to choose frozen mussels

Mussels are often used in cooking, but a low-quality product can cause serious poisoning. Therefore, it is important to know not only how to cook frozen peeled mussels, but also how to choose them.

Interesting! How to deliciously cook mussels in shells at home

Choosing quality mussels is not so easy, since seafood is sold boiled and frozen. The first thing you need to pay attention to is their storage conditions. If seafood is sold by weight, it should not lie in clumps. The presence of ice is allowed, but it must be clean and transparent. A yellow ice crust or ice build-up indicates that the product has already been defrosted more than once.

When buying mussels in a box, you should also consider its appearance and study all the information on the packaging. Of course, it is better if the packaging is transparent so that you can visually assess the product itself and the condition of the glaze.

Mussels in the history of weaving and... business

But no less interesting is another historical and philological line associated with mussels. The fact is that they have special glands that secrete an adhesive substance that helps them firmly attach to each other and to various objects in the water column or on the seabed.

When it gets into water, it hardens in the form of long, very thin and strong threads. This property was known back in Ancient Egypt and was used in the manufacture of the finest durable fabrics similar to silk. Such fabrics were often used in the mummification of the most noble nobles and pharaohs.

In Greek, this substance and the tissues made from it were called “byssos” (βύσσος) .

Once in Asian countries, this word was transformed into “calico,” meaning thin cotton material, and at the end of the 19th century. turned into the first artificially synthesized fabric - viscose.

The very process of weaving, in Latin - byssus , may have served as the basis for the English busy, business, the etymology of which linguists trace back only to the 12th century. and cannot explain their origin. But this is just a version...

How to properly defrost and clean mussels

Today there are different recipes and ways to cook peeled mussels, but not all housewives know how to defrost them correctly.

The longest, but most correct and gentle way is to defrost the mussels in the refrigerator when they thaw naturally. You can reduce the time and place the seafood in a container of cold salted water.

Under no circumstances should you use a microwave or hot water to defrost them. Such methods will worsen their beneficial properties and taste.

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How to clean mussels

There are several simple rules for cleaning mussels.

1. The first step is to defrost the product and throw away any cracked or open shells.
2. Next, the seafood is poured with hot, but not boiling water, so that the shells open.
3. The meat is removed using a knife (the shell is opened and the mussel is removed from it), then the existing algae is removed from it and washed under cold water to remove sand and other contaminants.

How to cook peeled mussels: simple and tasty

Cooking boiled peeled mussels is the easiest way to enjoy a delicious seafood delicacy. To do this, you will need the mussels themselves and seasonings to improve their taste and aroma.

Preparation:

• Place a pan of water on the fire, add salt, bay leaf and allspice.
• Bring water with spices to a boil and add seafood, cook for 5-7 minutes, no longer, otherwise they will become hard, like rubber.
• Place in a colander and, if desired, add lemon juice before serving.

Some people prefer to cook mussels in their shells, and it is important to remember that those shellfish whose shells have not opened during the cooking process cannot be eaten.

Mussels with aromatic herbs, baked in shells

Mussels in shells look very impressive and taste delicious, and are quite simple to prepare.

For this dish you will need:

• Shellfish, unpeeled (in shells);
• Salt pepper;
• Olive oil;
• Garlic, aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil);
• Cheese, grated.

Season the shellfish with salt and pepper, add olive oil, finely chopped garlic, herbs, and cheese. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Salad with mussels and cucumber

At home, you can prepare peeled mussels in different ways. The salad made from seafood is very tasty. The proposed recipe uses simple ingredients - cucumbers and herbs, which give the dish a fresh aroma and taste. And despite the fact that mayonnaise is used to dress the salad, it turns out to be quite light.

Ingredients:

• 200 g mussels;
• 200 ml mayonnaise;
• green onions;
• 2 fresh cucumbers;
• dill;
• 3 eggs;
• salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Pour the previously defrosted mussels into boiling salted water and cook for 5 minutes. Place the seafood in a colander and give it time to cool.

• Cut boiled eggs and fresh cucumbers into small cubes.

• Finely chop the green onions and fresh dill.

• In a salad bowl, combine all the prepared ingredients, add mussels, mayonnaise, a little salt and mix everything.

When preparing dishes with mussels, it is better to use sea salt, but it is worth remembering that seafood already contains some salt.

For dietary nutrition

Seafood is rich in vitamins and high in protein, but remains low in calories. We have prepared a table to compare the CBJU (C - calories; B - proteins; F - fats; C - carbohydrates) of chicken breast, turkey and some seafood.

Comparative table of KBZHU chicken, turkey and seafood

The table shows that the calorie content of seafood is lower than that of chicken breast, and the BCFA of shrimp is almost the same as that of turkey, so seafood is considered ideal for the diet menu. With their help, it is easy to diversify dishes by replacing boring poultry with something more original. You can find quality seafood in the Fish&More catalog.

If you are on a diet, remember that the presence of low-calorie foods does not automatically make the food low-calorie. Much depends on the method of preparation, dressing, etc. To ensure that the dish is dietary, follow these recommendations:

• seafood and other ingredients should be boiled rather than fried because the oil needed for frying is very high in calories;
• the dish will not be dietary if you use heavy cream, sour cream, mayonnaise or sweet sauces for cooking; use lemon juice or balsamic vinegar instead;
• the amount of oil for dressing salads and other dishes should be moderate; adjust it taking into account the desired calorie content.

Chinese cabbage salad with mussels

Another recipe thanks to which you can prepare a very tasty and light salad with mussels at home. The dressing gives the dish a special piquancy. The recipe is simple and definitely worth taking note of for those who love seafood.

Ingredients:

• 200 g of Chinese cabbage;
• 100 g mussels;
• 2 onions;
• 3 eggs;
• parsley;
• 100 ml sour cream;
• 1 tsp. mustard;
• 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice.

Preparation:

• To season the sour cream, add lemon juice and strong mustard and stir.

• Thinly shred the Chinese cabbage and cut the red onion into the same thin half rings.

• Chop the parsley and cut the boiled eggs into cubes.

• Place cabbage with herbs and onions, eggs and mussels in a salad bowl, pour over the sauce and mix.

Mussels go well with many foods, but true gourmets believe that the taste of such seafood should not be interrupted by other ingredients.

Shrimps

Thanks to its subtle, elegant taste, shrimp pair well with a wide variety of ingredients. The range of their culinary uses is very wide and can only be limited by your imagination.

How to clean

Small-sized shrimps, such as northern ones, can be easily peeled by hand. First, tear off the head, and then, starting from the upper part of the body, remove the shell plates. Hook the intestinal vein with the tip of the knife and pull with your fingers. Use only a well-sharpened knife, as a dull knife can damage tender meat.

Kitchen scissors are useful for peeling large shrimp, such as Argentine shrimp. Also remove the head with your fingers, then cut the shell along the back with scissors and remove it along with the legs. Hook the intestinal vein and gently pull it out.

In order not to peel the shrimp yourself, you can purchase already peeled king prawns without a tail at Fish&More. You just need to defrost them.

How to cook

Please note that boiled-frozen shrimp do not need to be cooked, because they are already cooked. It is enough to defrost such seafood and serve it on ice or scald it with hot broth with spices to warm it and add additional flavor.

It is best to cook raw frozen shrimp unpeeled, as this makes them more tender. In addition, if you accidentally overdo it with salt, the shell will absorb it, not the meat.

If you peeled the shrimp before cooking, do not discard the heads and shells, but make a broth with them. This will be a great base for soup!

To boil 1 kg of shrimp, take 2 liters of water. Rinse defrosted seafood. Bring water to a boil, add 1 tbsp. l. salt and bay leaf. If desired, add fresh herbs, black peppercorns, lemon slices and ginger root to the broth. Depending on the size of the shrimp, cook for 2 to 5 minutes. Read the cooking time recommendations on the package carefully. The shrimp are ready when they become brighter in color and take the shape of the letter C.

Drain the broth, and then, to prevent the shrimp from continuing to cook from their own heat, immerse them in cold water. Drain in a colander and serve.

How to fry

It is advisable to peel small shrimp before frying, but large ones can be fried directly in the shell.

Thawed seafood should be pre-rinsed with water and dried with a paper towel. Next, place in a single layer on a preheated frying pan and fry over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown.

Where to add

Small shrimp are most often added to appetizers, salads, omelets and frittatas. King prawns are suitable for soups, pasta, risotto. Langoustines and tiger shrimps are good to grill or grill.

How to cook peeled mussels in soy sauce

The easiest way to cook peeled mussels is to fry them in a frying pan, but be sure to add soy sauce, which will soften the specific taste of the seafood. Everything is prepared simply, quickly, and it turns out very tasty.

Ingredients:

• 200 g mussels;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 20 ml soy sauce;
• spicy herbs to taste;
• sweet paprika to taste.

Preparation:

• Crush the peeled garlic clove with the flat side of a knife and place it in a frying pan with heated oil. Fry the spicy vegetable for 1-2 minutes and, as soon as it gives off its aroma to the oil, remove it.

• Place mussels in a frying pan, add herbs, sweet paprika and any other spices as desired, but without salt.
• Pour in soy sauce, stir and fry seafood for 5-7 minutes. Serve the finished dish with lemon slices.

The best sauce that goes perfectly with mussels is lemon juice with garlic, olive oil and herbs.

A little more about mussels

When preparing any mussel dish, you should remember that mussels, like all seafood, cook very quickly, literally in a few minutes. If you miss the moment, their meat becomes tough, as if rubber, but this can be corrected, just continue to cook the seafood, and after 30-40 minutes it will become soft and tender again.

Dry white wine is considered the best companion to mussel dishes; it harmoniously complements the fresh sea taste of mussels and makes it much brighter and richer.

Bon appetit and unforgettable impressions!

Paella with mussels

Paella is a royal dish of Spanish cuisine, which is prepared from rice with the addition of chicken, vegetables and seafood. And such a dish can be prepared with mussels. The result is a tasty, nutritious and delicious treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice;
• 200 mussels;
• 4 tbsp. l. corn;
• ½ bell pepper;
• 10 pea pods;
• ½ carrot;
• 1 onion;
• a pinch of saffron;
• 500 ml broth;
• 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

• Pour saffron into a glass with warm broth, stir and leave for 10 minutes.

• Cut the onions, carrots and bell peppers into small cubes and, together with the corn and pea pods, place them in a frying pan heated with oil. Fry for 3-5 minutes.

• Add well-washed rice to the vegetables, heat for a couple of minutes and pour in the broth with saffron. Add salt and pepper and after boiling, cover with a lid and cook until almost done.

• Add the mussels, stir and keep the dish on the fire for another 5-7 minutes. Serve the finished dish with lemon slices.

In cooking, you must definitely use saffron, it is what gives the rice a golden color, and paella with mussels must be seasoned with lemon juice, this will give the dish a characteristic sourness.

General rules for defrosting seafood

Seafood most often arrives in our stores frozen, so you should only choose from trusted producers. Fish&More products are manufactured by the reliable company Defa group, which has been successfully supplying gifts from the seas and oceans to Russia and the CIS for more than 25 years. All freshly caught seafood is frozen using the blast freezing method, which preserves the freshness and juiciness of the meat. Additionally, the products are coated with a thin layer of ice glaze and hermetically packaged to preserve the beautiful appearance and juiciness of the product.

Before purchasing, you also need to pay attention to the information on the label. Seafood can be boiled-frozen or raw-frozen.

Raw frozen foods should be defrosted in the refrigerator on the lowest shelf for several hours before cooking. What not to do:

• Do not use a microwave oven for defrosting;
• do not pour warm water over seafood;
• do not leave them to thaw at room temperature.

Such methods will have a negative impact on the taste and texture of seafood.

Cooked-frozen products are already ready to eat. Instead of defrosting them, you can put them in boiling water for a minute and then immediately take them out. The main thing is not to overcook so that the product does not lose its juiciness and the meat does not become “rubbery”.

The Fish&More brand team made sure that all packages had detailed instructions for proper defrosting and the required cooking time.

In fact, defrosting is the only time-consuming step in cooking seafood. Then they need to be washed and cleaned if necessary. The direct heat treatment process always takes no more than 5 minutes.

Now let's talk about various culinary subtleties.

Rice with mussels in creamy garlic sauce

If you don’t know how to cook boiled frozen peeled mussels, you should pay attention to the proposed recipe. This is rice with seafood in creamy sauce. The dish turns out tender, very tasty and resembles Italian risotto.

Ingredients:

• 100 g rice;
• 80 g mussels;
• 25 g onion;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• 70 ml cream (10%);
• 40 ml white wine (dry);
• 250 ml water;
• salt to taste;
• 1 tbsp. l. parmesan;
• parsley to taste.

Preparation:

• Crush the garlic clove with the flat side of a knife, brown it in a frying pan with vegetable oil, then cool.
• Add diced onion to the frying pan, sauté until soft, then add rice and heat for 30 seconds.

• Pour wine into the rice and, as soon as the alcoholic drink has evaporated, add a third of the water and heat until it evaporates.
• Salt the rice, pour in the second part of the water, and after evaporation, add the remaining water, add the mussels and cook until the liquid evaporates.

• Pour in the cream, heat for a minute and remove from heat. Sprinkle the finished dish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

For this recipe, it is best to use round rice with a high starch content, this will create an unusual but pleasant creamy taste.

Cooking mussels the classic way

Grind two cloves of garlic, finely chop the onion and pour into a large deep frying pan.

Fry a little in butter, add 800 grams of pre-washed clams in shells to the frying pan.

Add 250 ml of white wine and mix thoroughly.

Simmer under a closed lid for 4 - 5 minutes.

All doors should open; we carefully inspect them and throw away closed ones, if any.

Pour in 100 ml of cream, sprinkle with chopped parsley, two pinches of curry, salt, and simmer over low heat for another 4 minutes.

Serve with the wine and cream sauce in which they were stewed.

You can cook according to the classic recipe not only in shells, but also peeled frozen mussels.

How to make julienne from peeled mussels

Everyone knows that julienne is prepared with mushrooms, but you can also cook it with mussels. It turns out to be a very tasty and elegant dish for any holiday table.

Ingredients:

• 200 g mussels;
• 70 g leeks;
• 50 g cheese;
• 150 ml cream (10%);
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add chopped leeks and fry until golden brown.

• Add mussel meat to the onion, add cream and heat until thickened, then add salt and pepper.

• Place in cocotte makers, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake until golden brown at 190-200°C.

Mussels cooked in a frying pan or in the oven are always served hot, since when they cool they lose some of their flavor properties.

Julienne of mussels

While the mussels are defrosting, prepare the creamy sauce.

To do this, lightly fry two cloves of garlic, cut in half, in butter.

After this, we select the garlic; we will no longer need it; the aroma that permeated the oil during frying will be enough.

Pour in 400 ml of cream, add processed cheese.

It is better to grind it, break it into pieces, so it will dissolve faster in the cream.

Stir continuously, bring the sauce to a homogeneous consistency, add salt.

Place approximately 700 grams of raw shellfish in a heat-resistant dish and pour in the sauce.

Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and place on top of the sauce.

Bake until golden brown in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Julienne is served hot.

Cheese soup with peeled mussels

With mussels you can prepare simply gorgeous first courses, such as a very delicate and beautiful cheese soup. The dish is simple and easy to prepare. The finished soup can be served with crackers or simply with slices of loaf.

Ingredients:

• 250 g mussels;
• 120 g cream cheese;
• 200 g potatoes;
• 70 g carrots;
• 70 g onion;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

• Cut the peeled potatoes into small cubes, put them in a saucepan, add water and cook for 20 minutes.

• Chop the onion into cubes and grate the carrots. Place the vegetables in a frying pan and sauté with the addition of oil until soft.

• Add sautéed vegetables and mussels to the pan with potatoes.

• Next add soft cream cheese, salt and pepper, mix and cook the soup for another 5-7 minutes.
• If desired, add finely chopped dill to the prepared soup.

For soup, it is important to use soft and tasty cream cheese, because it gives the dish not only a delicate taste, but also a creamy consistency.

Korean marinated mussels

The cooking process is simple and takes little time.

You can choose the proportions of ingredients at your discretion.

Boil the shellfish in salted water, drain the liquid, and cool.

At this time, cut the onion into half rings and chop the carrots.

Prepare the marinade: mix lemon juice, a teaspoon of vinegar, a little olive oil in a bowl; as a spice, you can use ready-made seasoning for Korean carrots, which can be found in any store, or simply season with ground coriander, garlic and a mixture of hot red and black peppers.

Add chopped vegetables and seafood to the bowl with the marinade.

Place in the refrigerator for an hour.

The appetizer is served chilled.

If desired, you can also use bell pepper as an ingredient.

Mussels baked with cream sauce

Mussels can be cooked in a frying pan or baked in the oven with a creamy sauce. The result is a tender, satisfying, hearty and tasty dish that all seafood fans will definitely appreciate.

Ingredients:

• 300 g mussels;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 50 g onion;
• 150 ml cream (10%);
• 50 g hard cheese;
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• dill greens.

Preparation:

• In a frying pan, sauté finely chopped onion until lightly golden. Then add the chopped garlic and continue sautéing for another minute.

• Pour in the cream, heat it up and, as soon as it starts to thicken, add salt, pepper and remove from heat.
• Place the mussels in a large mold or small ramekins and pour in the creamy sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and chopped dill.

• Bake the mussels for 10 minutes at 200°C.

You need to bake mussels quickly and at high temperatures, so the seafood does not taste rubbery.

Cooking frozen boiled mussels quickly and tasty

A simple and quick recipe with boiled-frozen mussels, it doesn’t even require defrosting them!

For this dish you will need:

• Boiled frozen mussels - 300 g;
• Olive oil - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• Finely chopped herbs (both aromatic herbs are suitable: basil, oregano, rosemary, and regular parsley);
• Finely chopped green onions;
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves;
• Cream - 3-4 tbsp. spoons.

Preparation: place mussels in heated oil in a frying pan (do not defrost), sprinkle onion and grated garlic on top. Stir, add cream. You can add salt to taste. Simmer over low heat for no longer than five minutes. Paired with a glass of dry wine, this is a great appetizer for a romantic evening.

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Finger lickin' good - marinated mussels cooked over a fire

To enjoy aromatic mussels in this way, you need very little: a clean iron surface, a fire and desire.

Pickled thawed mussels are placed in a foil bag, mixed with wine and finely chopped onion and garlic.

Add a little butter and close. You can cook directly on coals. In a short time they will be ready.

How to cook mussels in shells

Many people love to cook seafood, including mussels. But not everyone knows how to cook them correctly so that they turn out not only tasty and beautiful, but also healthy. After all, they contain a lot of vitamins that are beneficial to any body. Today we will be boiling mussels in their shells in their own juice for the first time.

Ingredients:

• frozen mussels in shells – 500 gr.;
• water – 2 l.;
• lemon – 1 pc.

Cooking method step by step:

1. When choosing mussels, it is very important to pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the packaging. And when you open and take them out, they should be intact and without damage. The doors are closed, and their smell is fresh, sea and pleasant. The color of the meat should be white or slightly pinkish.

2. Pour the required amount of purified cold water into a three-liter iron pan, place it on the stove and turn on high heat. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
3. Next, take a package of frozen mussels and open it by cutting off the package with scissors. Place them in boiling water and cook them over high heat, from the moment of boiling, for 5 minutes under a closed lid. There is no need to defrost the mussels in advance. If there is not enough water, then you can add it a little so that it completely covers our seafood.

4. After a while, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 3 minutes. After this time, the mussels will all open. It is best not to eat unopened ones. The main thing is not to overcook them, otherwise they will not turn out so tasty, tender and juicy.
5. Next, drain them of the water in which they were boiled, passing them through a colander to remove excess liquid. Then place them on a large platter. There is no need to clean ready-made mussels.

6. Take a lemon, rinse it in cool water and divide it in half. Cut one half into not very thick, but not very thin rounds and place them on a dish. And from the other part of the lemon, squeeze the juice onto the mussels. Any seafood goes very well with lemon or its juice. It is not necessary to add salt during cooking, since it is best for everyone to do it on their own plate. Whoever likes it.

In 8 minutes of cooking you get delicious and healthy mussels that absolutely everyone will like, even those who don’t like seafood. You can simply take them out of the shell and eat them. You can add it to a salad or any other seafood dish. Cook and enjoy the pleasant and delicate taste and sea aroma.