Many Russians living away from the sea, only on TV saw how movie heroes eat mussels. Why not try these mollusks yourself? Their preparation is very simple, the taste is excellent, the product can be used in soup, as a hot appetizer, and as a main dish. Below I give some simple recipes. But first, a few words about how to deal with this somewhat exotic beast.
Food lovers say it’s best to cook fresh clams, caught from June to October. Oyster farms in the Black Sea region supply already frozen mussels, rapans and other seafood to stores. Of course, you can buy them - do not get poisoned. If you still decided to treat yourself to natural Black Sea mollusks, and for this purpose went to Odessa Privoz, then I advise you to carefully look at the proposed product. A good fresh mussel has the following characteristics:
- shell shutters tightly closed;
- from the gap hangs the so-called "beard", with which the mussel clings to the stones;
- mollusks have the smell of the sea.
Suppose you already bought fresh seafood or thawed a pack you bought at a store. What to do next with them, how to eat mussels? The logic of our person is as follows: if the edible part is in a thick shell or peel, this delicious core must first be removed. The method works in the case of nuts, but is absolutely incorrect when applied to mussels. If you pick with a knife, a screwdriver, a fork to open a shell (and the mollusk will fiercely resist), then - in case of victory - something similar to unappetizing snot will appear before your eyes.
How to eat mussels right? The algorithm of action is as follows. Cut the beard with a knife, rinse under running water (thoroughly, with a brush). In a pan with thick walls, pour a glass of dry white wine, chopped herbs, a little black pepper. Put a kilogram or slightly less shellfish and bring to a boil. You do not need to cook them for long - the main thing is that all the shells open. They are served most often either on the leaves or on lettuce leaves with “Aioli” or “Pesto” sauce.
I love bazhe nut sauce with seafood. Onion must be cut into strips and simmer. Pass walnuts three times through a meat grinder. Combine onions, nuts, a clove, two finely chopped garlic, a pinch of suneli hops, saffron and red pepper, add a little chopped cilantro and cinnamon. Gradually pour hot broth into the mass (you can use the liquid in which the clams were cooked) until a sour cream consistency is obtained. The mussels whose photos you see look quite appetizing.
If you still have seafood, in no case do not warm them - this is fraught with indigestion. Better use them in a salad: mix boiled eggs, mussels, fresh parsley, season with mayonnaise or Thousand Islands sauce. And here is how the mussels of romance are eaten, which can often be seen on the pebble beaches of Crimea: they just wash the mollusks, scrape off their "beards", lay them on a grate or a metal sheet and bake over a fire. Since the product is often caught by hand, you need to carefully look at what is eaten. Ready mussel can have a color from white to bright orange. But if the clam is gray and shriveled, it is better to throw it away - it is too old. Also, in large shells, pearls can be found that have no market value, but can damage teeth.