Many have heard about the benefits of seafood. The Black Sea mussel has the same properties, which today is enjoyed not only by gourmets of seafood, but also by everyone who has tried them at least once. This product is especially popular among those who monitor their health, because mussels are quite nutritious and at the same time have a low calorie content, which is very appreciated.
The main habitat of mollusks is considered to be the seabed, but in the modern world there are also specially equipped farms on which mussels are grown artificially.
M eats mussel habitat
The Black Sea mussel, the description of which you can see in our article, is a resident of sea waters, a bivalve mollusk. It has a shell of oblong-oval shape, the outside is smooth to the touch.
The Black Sea mussel lives in colonies, most often located on stones in the coastal zone, attaching to them with the help of special threads - byssus. It feeds on plankton, passing a huge amount of water through the sink.
A large number of mussels is due to the fertility of females. So, during spawning, one individual is able to lay up to 20 million eggs, from which larva-like individuals hatch around the next day. Mussels are distinguished by excellent adaptability to life with sharp changes in the level of salt in water and its temperature.
The described mollusks differ from each other in size, shape and duration of the life cycle. For example, on average, Black Sea mussels can live up to 6 years, northern mussels up to 12 years, and Pacific mussels - 30 years. By the way, there were cases when pearls were found in individual shells of the Black Sea mussels, but this is a rather rare occurrence.
The habitats of mussels are considered moderate and tropical waters of the ocean. And best of all, they breed in the waters of the Black Sea. In some countries there are farms for the cultivation of mussels in an artificial environment. The first to grow them on their own were sailors from Ireland in the 13th century.
Scope of mussels
Black Sea mussel, good which consists not only in the purification of sea water, it is also used as a food product. It can be boiled, fried, baked with vegetables, steamed, smoked and added to other products. Today, this seafood is quite popular in many countries of Europe.
For eating, it is necessary to carefully select mollusks with a whole shell, without any damage. It is important to know that only tightly closed shells are used. The Black Sea mussel opens under the influence of high temperature, and if this has not happened after processing, it must be discarded.
For cooking, the meaty inside, the mantle and the shell liquid are used. The clam meat has a light, delicate color, soft texture, sweet taste and pleasant aroma. The Black Sea mussel, the photo of which can be seen in the article, is ideal for adding various types of cereals, pasta to potatoes, it is often prepared with vegetables and added to salads. And connoisseurs add mussels to soup, stew, pilaf, pasta and even soufflé. In addition, they are part of many delicious sauces.
It is important to remember that mussel is a product that needs to be eaten immediately after cooking. It can not be stored in the refrigerator for reheating, as this is fraught with severe poisoning.
Product Benefits
Experts say that mussel is a natural protein that can compete with beef and fish. It is the mollusks that have the richest and most useful composition. So, mussel meat contains the largest amount of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, namely:
- most vitamins B;
- vitamin C;
- folate, iron, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and zinc.
Using mussels in small quantities, you can speed up the metabolism, get rid of fatigue, depression, loss of strength and loss of vitality. All this provides the vitamin B 12 present in the product. Selenium provides the immune system, it is especially important for the thyroid gland. Manganese is responsible for the integrity and density of bone tissue, as well as energy production. The use of mussels is recommended for some blood diseases.
Mussel as a dietary product
Experts, studying the dietary properties of products, came to the conclusion that mussel meat provides the body with protein on a par with red meat. But at the same time, the marine product has less fat, which means it does not increase cholesterol. The Black Sea mussel has about 75% of calories in relation to beef and contains almost 3 times more natural protein necessary for the cardiac system.
Cardiologists believe that the omega-3s found in mussel meat are some of the most powerful natural cardioprotectors. Regular use of this product reduces the risk of developing many heart diseases, in particular, prevents arrhythmia.
Scientists claim that 100 g of mussels daily are able to provide the body with a daily norm of all the necessary vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. In addition, seafood has a positive effect on the formation of a slim figure, since it does not contribute to the formation of fat cells in the body.
Contraindications and harm
Despite the rich composition and benefits of this marine product, there are cases when mussels are contraindicated, namely:
- with individual intolerance to marine products;
- with problems with blood coagulation.
It is also necessary to remember that the absence of contraindications is not a reason to eat only mussel meat, since their excessive consumption can cause certain consequences for a person.
Information about the ability of mussels to cleanse the waters of the sea, and therefore to accumulate harmful substances in themselves, should not be overlooked. Therefore, it is worth buying and preparing live mussels to be sure of their freshness. Frozen foods can also be consumed, but only from trusted manufacturers.
Black Sea mussel: recipes
The stew of mussels with vegetables, which we offer you, involves the preparation of 2 servings. It is necessary to take:
- 400 g of mussel meat;
- one carrot;
- large onion;
- 1/2 tsp salts;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- a sprig of leek;
- 2 tbsp. l vegetable oil.
Wash and clean mussel shells from pollution. Separate the meat - for this, the shell can be dipped in boiling water for 7 minutes. (until full disclosure). And to cook frozen mussels, it will take no more than 10 minutes.
Next, put onions in a pan with vegetable oil and fry, add carrots grated on a coarse grater and also fry a little. If necessary, cut the prepared mussel meat and add it to the frying pan for frying. Then chop the leek and add it there. During cooking, stir the food constantly. At the end, squeeze the garlic through the garlic press, so that the dish is fragrant. Pepper, salt, add spices to your taste. The dish is ready to eat! When serving, it can be decorated with greens.
Mussel Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
- 100 g of mussel meat;
- 1-3 bulbs;
- 20 g of parsley root;
- 20 g butter;
- noodles;
- salt, pepper, spices.
To prepare the soup, you need to take the mussel meat boiled in advance, grind and fry together with onions and parsley in butter. At the same time, boil for a few minutes, in previously boiled and salted water, noodles, then drain the water and rinse it.
In the boiling broth with noodles, add fried mussels with onions and noodles, cook everything until fully cooked. We use spices to taste. Before serving, the soup can be decorated with chopped herbs.
Mussels with rice and vegetables
You will need:
- 1/2 tbsp. round rice;
- 2 kg of mussels with a shell;
- 3 pcs. sweet pepper;
- 2 large tomatoes;
- 5 green onions;
- spices, lemon;
- butter;
- hard cheese.
For cooking, you need to wash the rice, boil it in salted water. Rinse cooked rice and discard into a colander to drain. Clean mussel shells from dirt, rinse thoroughly.
Put a little butter in the pan when it melts, add the finely chopped onion and fry. Strip the sweet pepper in strips and add to the pan, fry for several minutes, stirring constantly. During this time, the pepper becomes soft and light. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan, fry, salt, pepper to taste.
Put mussels on another preheated pan and cover with a lid. It is necessary to drain the foam formed under the lid and fry until the shells are fully open. Opened mussels season with spices to taste and pour over lemon juice.
We clean the meat from shells, removing excess garbage, leave a few opened shells for decoration.
Next, mix the mussels with fried vegetables and simmer over low heat for several minutes. Then we mix everything with rice, give it time to warm up. We put the finished dish on plates, sprinkle with herbs and grated cheese. Garnish with mussels and shells and serve.