Mussels in shells recipe for cooking in the oven. Cooking mussels in shells - step-by-step recipe

Mussels are extremely healthy, tender and delicious shellfish. Dishes with mussel meat can be found in the cuisines of many countries. Rich in vitamins and minerals, healthy mussels strengthen the immune system and stimulate metabolism. There are many cooking options - they are boiled, stewed in sauces, fried in oil, prepared in salads and snacks. In countries far from the sea coast, few people know how to properly prepare fresh mussels; the easiest and most nutritious way is in shells.

To cook fresh mussels in shells, you will need:
  • Mussels in shells, always fresh – 1 kg;
  • Water – 1 l;
  • Salt and spices;
  • Juice of 1 lemon.
Rinse the mussels thoroughly, use a knife to remove growths, algae residues, sand, and limestone deposits from the shells. In this case, partially opened shells must be thrown away. The shells of fresh and edible mussels must be tightly closed. Boil water, add salt, spices and lemon juice. Place the prepared mussels in a large saucepan with a small amount of boiling water - the top of the shells should remain on the surface. Cook the mussels for about 5 minutes, during which time their shells should open and the meat should be cooked. We take out only the opened mussels from the water, throw away the unopened ones. The finished meat is suitable for salad; you can take it out, put it in one of the doors and sprinkle with lemon. Very delicious recipe
  • mussels in shells, stewed in garlic or wine sauce. You will need:
  • Mussels in shells – 1 kg;
  • Lemon – 1 piece;
  • Olive oil – 80 ml;
  • Garlic – 5 cloves;
  • Salt, spices;
Greens – dill, parsley. The mussels must be washed well, as in the previous recipe, placed in a saucepan with a small amount of water and heated until the doors open, then removed. Prepare the garlic sauce - pour olive oil into a frying pan and place garlic cloves in the oil. Stir until you smell the garlic, remove the garlic itself, and put the mussels in the oil, after removing the top flap. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice, sprinkle the mussels on top with finely chopped herbs, add spices. They should be simmered, covered with a lid, for 6-7 minutes. Place the finished ones on a dish, sprinkle with lemon and serve with white wine.– boil them in shells, adding 1 glass of wine to 1 glass of water. Shellfish will acquire delicate taste and the aroma of white wine. Also delicious are mussels baked in the oven, with grated tomatoes, bread crumbs, parsley in olive oil. Easy to prepare salad with vegetables, herbs and tender meat mussels There are a lot of recipes, the main thing is to find the one that suits you. Dishes made from mussels cannot be stored, they spoil quickly, and low-quality mussels can easily cause poisoning. But you can keep fresh mussels in shells, in the refrigerator, wrapped in a towel. It is also permissible to freeze mussels for a period of 3 months; to do this, pour a little water into the container with them.

Mussels are an easy to prepare, nutritious, tasty and aromatic seafood product. Most often they are served in Belgium, where it is National dish. When combined with cold wine, shellfish turn into a delicate delicacy.

10.05.2018

Seafood has ceased to seem like an exotic product and now appears even on the everyday table of most Russians quite often. Such a simple dish as mussels in the oven with cheese and garlic is worth learning how to cook for everyone, as it can help out in a situation where you urgently need to feed guests or come up with an interesting lunch in a hurry.

In restaurants, mussels are served mainly in the wings, so if you want to surprise guests or family, you should first master this method of preparing them. It is labor-intensive, but the result is worth all the effort. It is very important not to bake the mussels for too long, and also to make the sauce correctly, which is based on lime or lemon juice and olive oil. Take hard cheese, since it should not melt to a fluid, fatty state.

This dish has both beneficial and harmful sides, we recommend it.

Ingredients:2

  • mussels (in wings) – 10 pcs.;
  • butter – 80 g;
  • garlic cloves – 3 pcs.;
  • lime;
  • dried thyme – 1/2 tsp. spoons;
  • olive oil - 2 tablespoons. spoons;
  • hard cheese – 50 g;
  • salt.

Cooking method:

  1. Using a sharp long knife, pry the clam meat away from the shell - this will make it easier to eat the finished snack afterwards.
  2. Rinse the mussels thoroughly to remove sand and algae.
  3. Place them on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  4. Combine soft butter with olive oil and beat with a fork.
  5. Add lime juice, ground thyme and grated garlic. If desired, you can add finely chopped fresh herbs here.
  6. Place the mussels in their shells on a baking sheet or ovenproof dish and spoon a little sauce into each shell.
  7. Grate the hard cheese finely and sprinkle the mussels in a thin layer.
  8. Place in an oven preheated to 190 degrees for 7 minutes. Serve the appetizer cold.

A simple recipe for mussels with cheese and garlic for lunch

It is easier to work with this dish, first of all, because you do not need to monitor whether all the flaps will open or not: you immediately buy a peeled and boiled product, so all that remains is to defrost it and bring it to full readiness. In addition, this recipe for mussels baked with cheese and garlic can be called quite budget-friendly, because peeled shellfish are much cheaper, so it is perfect for frequent lunches or dinners.

Ingredients:

  • mussels – 350 g;
  • cream 20% – 200 ml;
  • egg 1 cat.;
  • butter – 25 g;
  • garlic cloves – 3 pcs.;
  • processed cheese – 50 g;
  • semi-hard cheese – 100 g;
  • wheat flour - 1 table. spoon;
  • salt.

Cooking method:

  1. Allow the mussels to defrost room temperature, pouring them into a colander.
  2. Rinse thoroughly under running cold water.
  3. Boil water in a small saucepan, add mussels and add salt. If you purchased a boiled-frozen product, boil for only 2 minutes. If raw-frozen - about 10 minutes.
  4. Melt butter in a frying pan, add flour and add melted cheese.
  5. Add salt, add chopped garlic and cream, passed through a press. Remove the pan from the stove.
  6. Break the egg, add only the yolk into the sauce and mix well again.
  7. Place the boiled mussels in a baking dish (you can use small cocotte bowls in portions), pour in the garlic cream sauce. Sprinkle generously with grated semi-hard cheese on top.
  8. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for a quarter of an hour.

A variety of mussels called “kiwi” deserves special attention - these are very large mollusks with large shells that are used for stuffing. Of course, you can work with them according to the recipes discussed above, but it is better to choose something special. For example, add shrimp and cream cheese with basil.

Ingredients:

  • kiwi mussels – 1 kg;
  • peeled salad shrimp – 200 g;
  • hard cheese – 150 g;
  • cream cheese – 100 g;
  • basil leaves – 5 pcs.;
  • garlic (cloves) – 3 pcs.;
  • breadcrumbs - 2 table. spoons;
  • salt.

Cooking method:

  1. Place the mussels from the package in a colander, rinse under running cold water, removing any remaining sand and defrosting them at the same time.
  2. Using a sharp knife, remove the stems and algae bag.
  3. Pour the shrimp into boiling water, add salt and boil for literally 2 minutes: as soon as they begin to float, immediately catch them with a slotted spoon.
  4. Chop the shrimp finely, mix with cream cheese and breadcrumbs.
  5. Chop the basil leaves and mix in.
  6. Pass the garlic through a press and add it to the stuffing mixture.
  7. Place the mussels in their shells on a baking sheet and cover each clam with the filling.
  8. Grate the hard cheese and make a fluffy cap on top.
  9. Bake the stuffed kiwi mussels at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

Mussels are relatively inexpensive but very healthy shellfish. Despite the fact that they are called “poor man’s oysters,” the dishes they make are very tasty. Today you can buy shellfish both peeled and in shells. Many people prefer the second option, since during the process of preparing shellfish in the shells, it is easy to find and discard all the stale ones. Of course, in this case you need to know how to cook mussels in shells correctly. Today, the intricacies of this technology are familiar not only to chefs of elite restaurants. Many housewives easily cope with the task at home.

Features of selection and preparation

In order for a dish of mussels in shells to be tasty, healthy and safe, you need to know the basic rules for their selection and preparation.

  • When choosing fresh or frozen mussels in shells, preference should be given to large ones, since small ones will have very little valuable meat - about the size of a bean seed.
  • Look carefully at mussels when purchasing. You can only take shellfish whose shells are intact and closed. Damaged shells usually occur if the product has been repeatedly frozen and defrosted. Open shells indicate that the mollusk is sick, dead, or simply very stale. If you buy fresh mussels, you can try knocking on the shell - if it closes, then everything is in order, the mussel is alive, and you can safely take it and cook it.
  • If you are going to cook frozen mussels in their shells, you will need to defrost them first. It is best to let them thaw in the refrigerator. This way the shellfish will better retain their beneficial properties.
  • The mussel shells must be peeled until smooth before cooking. This can be done using a dull knife, which should be used to scrape the shells well.
  • Before washing, mussels can be immersed in cold water for a couple of hours. In this case, it will be easier to wash them from sand. In addition, this procedure will help to immediately get rid of dead mollusks: the living ones will sink to the bottom, and the dead ones will remain on the surface.
  • Mussels in shells can be boiled, stewed, or baked in the oven. Regardless of the cooking method, it is important to select and discard any mussels whose shells have not opened after 5–7 minutes. heat treatment. This indicates that the product is not fresh, and it is easy to get poisoned by missing mussels.
  • To improve the taste of mussels, you can boil and stew them with the addition of wine, lemon juice, tomatoes, milk, garlic sauce, dill, pepper, and celery. The choice of one or more of these ingredients depends on the recipe.
  • Serve the mussels with the top part of the shell removed. You can remove the clam from the bottom of the shell using a fork. In some restaurants, when serving mussels, the table is served with tongs. They are needed in order to grab the removed part of the shell and use it to extract the shellfish meat from the remaining part.

Mussel meat goes well with white wine. If you offer these shellfish to your guests, it doesn’t hurt to put a bottle of white wine on the table.

How to cook boiled mussels in shells

  • mussels in shells – 2 kg;
  • water – 1 l;
  • lemon – 1 pc.;
  • salt – 20 g;
  • ground black pepper - to taste.
  • Immerse the mussels in cool water for half an hour, remove, brush on all sides with a brush, scrape with a knife and rinse in running water.
  • Wash the lemon, cut it in half, squeeze the juice out of it. Remove any seeds that have gotten into the juice. Pour the juice into a thick-walled saucepan.
  • Pour a liter of cold water into the pan, add salt and pepper, stir.
  • Place clean mussels in their shells into the pan. Place the pan over medium heat, covering it with a lid.
  • When the water boils, wait 5 minutes and check the mussels. Remove the shellfish whose shells have already opened from the pan.
  • Check the readiness of the mussels again after 2-3 minutes. Remove the opened ones from the pan, discard the unopened ones.

Serve boiled mussels immediately after cooking. Apart from white wine, beer will be a good choice for drinks.

You can cook mussels in water mixed with dry white wine. The optimal ratio of these components is 1:1. The taste of the finished mussels in this case will be completely different, more delicate and refined.

There is no need to ensure that the liquid completely covers the shellfish during cooking. Mussel shells open when exposed to steam.

You can cook any mussels according to the given recipe: frozen or fresh. They can be eaten immediately, but other dishes are often prepared using them. Including salads.

How to cook stewed mussels in shells

  • garlic – 5 cloves;
  • water – 1 l;
  • lemon – 1 pc.;
  • fresh parsley – 50 g;
  • black ground pepper- taste;
  • salt - to taste;
  • butter – 50 g;
  • drinking cream – 150 ml.
  • Clean and rinse the mussels well. Place them in a saucepan.
  • Fill with water, first squeezing the juice of one lemon into it, adding a little pepper and salt.
  • Place the pan over high heat and wait until the mussels begin to open. Take them out as soon as the shell opens. Instances that do not have time to open within 7 minutes will have to be thrown away.
  • Remove the top of the shell from each mussel.
  • Place the shellfish in a frying pan after melting the butter in it.
  • Pass a clove of garlic through a press, pour in cream and stir.
  • Pour the garlic and cream sauce into the pan with the mussels. Place it on medium heat. Simmer the clams for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the mussels from the sauce and place on a platter.
  • Wash, dry, finely chop the parsley with a knife, add to the creamy garlic sauce. You can add pepper and salt. Stir.
  • Pour the prepared sauce over the mussels.

You can serve mussels stewed in creamy garlic sauce in portions.

Fresh mussels baked in shells

  • fresh mussels in shells – 1 kg;
  • fresh tomatoes – 0.3 kg;
  • stale bread – 40 g;
  • olive oil – 20 ml;
  • garlic – 2 cloves;
  • parsley - 1 sprig;
  • cloves – 1 pc.;
  • salt, pepper - to taste;
  • water – 0.5 l.
  • Pour water into the pan. Place the peeled and washed mussels in their shells into it.
  • Place the pan over high heat. Wait for the shells to open. Remove the tops by removing the mussels from the pan and letting them cool slightly.
  • Crush the garlic.
  • Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skins. Grate the tomato pulp, chop with a blender or rub through a sieve. Mix with garlic.
  • Grind salt, pepper and cloves in a mortar.
  • Grate stale bread and add to tomato puree.
  • Put the spicy mixture there.
  • Add olive oil, stir.
  • Place the mussels, shell side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place tomato mixture on top of each mussel.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place a baking sheet in it.

After 10 minutes baked in tomato sauce the mussels are ready. This recipe is most often used to prepare fresh mussels, but it can also be used for frozen shellfish.

Mussels baked in shells with cheese

  • large frozen or fresh mussels – 1 kg;
  • hard cheese – 120 g;
  • mayonnaise or sour cream – 100 ml;
  • lemon – 0.25 pcs.;
  • garlic – 2 cloves;
  • water – 0.5 l.
  • Wash and peel the mussels thoroughly, cover with cold water and place over high heat.
  • Cook for 7–8 minutes. Discard any unopened shells. Cool the rest.
  • Remove the mussel meat and cut each into 3-4 pieces.
  • Place mussel meat in a bowl. Squeeze on them lemon juice.
  • Add garlic, sour cream or mayonnaise passed through a press to the mussels, stir.
  • Fill the shells with the mixture.
  • Finely grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the shells.
  • Place the shells on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.

Dish prepared according to this recipe, can be called exquisite. It will perfectly decorate the holiday table.

Don't be afraid to buy mussels in their shells. It's easy to prepare them at home. Wherein appearance ready-made dish and its taste will almost certainly impress your guests.

Mussels are an extremely healthy and delicious seafood. Their sizes range from 5 to 30 cm; occasionally there are simply gigantic specimens - up to 60 cm in length. The shells are colored green, chartreuse, golden brown and purple.


Selection of products, utensils and equipment

When purchasing fresh shellfish, you should consider the following points:

  • pay attention to the shells - the valves should be tightly closed;
  • knock on the shell - a living mollusk will react;
  • lower the seafood into chilled water - fresh mussels will sink to the bottom;
  • the smell should be pleasant, marine;
  • shells must be intact, without chips or cracks;
  • cook them immediately as they spoil very quickly;
  • if you buy frozen seafood, there should not be a lot of ice, snow or yellow streaks on it - this is a sign of repeated freezing;
  • After defrosting, sniff the shellfish - if there is an unpleasant odor, throw them away;
  • mussel meat should be light and elastic, pleasing to the eye;
  • Buy shellfish of the same size for even cooking.


For cooking you will definitely need the following utensils and equipment:

  • a saucepan for initial treatment with boiling water or for boiling shellfish;
  • baking tray for baking in the oven;
  • foil (parchment) for lining a baking sheet (optional);
  • knife for opening the doors.

Cooking features

Mussels are prepared in a wide variety of ways - they can be boiled in water or in a water bath, fried, baked, pickled, smoked, pickled, canned and even dried. Some gourmets eat and raw seafood. They cook with these shellfish and various soups, roasts, salads, rolls, pates, kebabs and other dishes. These shellfish are easy to prepare properly at home. They must be eaten immediately after preparation.

Citrus fruits, herbs, various vegetables, including potatoes, meat, fish, other seafood, cereals and pasta are great for mussels. They go well with a variety of sauces, mayonnaise, olive oil.



Recipes

It is worth considering several ways to prepare mussels at home.

Mussels baked in shells with Mediterranean sauce

You need to prepare the following ingredients:

  • 1 kg mussels;
  • 3 cloves of garlic;
  • 50 ml olive oil;
  • half a lemon;
  • a little table salt;
  • 1 bay leaf;
  • a few black peppercorns;
  • a pinch of Herbes de Provence seasoning.


Preparation includes the following steps:

  1. Soak the clams in cool water to rinse out any sand trapped in the shells;
  2. put a pan of water on the fire, bring to a boil, add bay leaf and black pepper;
  3. put the shellfish in boiling water; after the water boils for the second time, wait a minute and turn off the heat;
  4. Remove shells from pan to tray to cool;
  5. turn on the oven and preheat it to +180 degrees;
  6. peel the garlic, chop it; pour in the juice of half a citrus, olive oil, add seasonings and stir the sauce;
  7. open the shell shells with a knife, pour the prepared sauce over the pulp, place on a baking sheet, place it in the oven and bake for 6–7 minutes;
  8. You can decorate the shellfish with chopped herbs and serve on the holiday table.


Mussels with garlic sauce

You will need the following ingredients:

  • 1 kg of shellfish;
  • 5 cloves of garlic;
  • 1 chicken egg yolk;
  • 20 ml olive oil;
  • 2 tablespoons flour;
  • lemon juice;
  • a bunch of parsley;
  • a little salt.

You should adhere to the following sequence of actions:

  1. soak the shells in water, immerse the shellfish in boiling water for a minute, then place them on a baking sheet;
  2. put the frying pan on the fire, add flour and lightly fry it;
  3. pour in the oil and 200 ml of broth (you can pour in the boiling water in which the shells were immersed), mix well until smooth, add chopped garlic and turn off the heat;
  4. beat the yolk with a fork, carefully add a few spoons of sauce, mix thoroughly and pour into the pan with the sauce; pour citrus juice over the mixture;
  5. open the shells and pour garlic sauce over the insides;
  6. place the baking sheet in the oven, preheated to +180 degrees, and bake for 5 minutes;
  7. garnish with chopped fresh herbs and serve to guests while the dish is still hot.


Mussels with wine sauce

Take ingredients such as:

  • 1 kg of shellfish;
  • 2 glasses of water or broth;
  • 200 ml dry white wine;
  • 3 onions;
  • 2 bell peppers;
  • 2 tablespoons flour;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • a pinch of salt, paprika, sugar;
  • a little olive oil.

To prepare, you should adhere to the following algorithm:

  1. peel the onion and pepper, chop;
  2. fry the vegetables, add flour, pour in wine;
  3. stir until smooth;
  4. boil for 5 minutes and add chopped garlic;
  5. Dissolve seasoning, sugar, salt in broth or water, pour into the sauce being prepared and bring to a boil a second time;
  6. open the shells, pour over the dressing and place on a baking sheet covered with a layer of parchment;
  7. bake in the oven at +180 degrees for about 10 minutes;
  8. garnish with chopped herbs.


Mussels with cream sauce and cheese

You will need the following ingredients:

  • 0.4 kg of shellfish in half a shell;
  • a glass of cream;
  • 150 ml white semi-dry wine;
  • 50 g cheese;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • 1 onion.
  1. process the shellfish in boiling water;
  2. fry chopped onions and garlic in a casserole, pour wine over them, simmer a little and sprinkle with grated cheese; simmer the sauce until it thickens;
  3. transfer clams to a foil-lined baking sheet and pour sauce over them;
  4. bake in the oven at +160 degrees for about 10 minutes.


Mussels with cheese and capelin caviar

You need to prepare the following ingredients:

  • 1 kg of shellfish in one shell;
  • 500 g Philadelphia cheese;
  • 200 g mayonnaise;
  • a little soy sauce;
  • 3 tablespoons of capelin caviar;
  • 10 ml citrus juice (lemon);
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi paste.

You should do the following:

  1. rinse the shells and boil them for 1–2 minutes;
  2. grate the cheese on a fine grater and mix with mayonnaise;
  3. add wasabi, soy sauce and citrus juice;
  4. add caviar and stir everything well;
  5. Place the shells on a baking sheet and pour over the sauce, completely filling the shells;
  6. then bake in a well-heated oven for 10 minutes.


Clams in wine

You need to prepare ingredients such as:

  • 1 kg mussels;
  • 1 small carrot;
  • 1 onion;
  • 1 tablespoon butter fat;
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper;
  • 125 ml dry white wine.
  1. wash the shellfish, soak them for about an hour in chilled water;
  2. clean the shells with a brush, cut off the antennae (if any);
  3. Peel, wash and cut the vegetables into cubes with edges 3 mm long;
  4. melt the butter in a cauldron, add the vegetables and simmer them for about 3-4 minutes;
  5. lay out the shellfish, salt and pepper and pour in the wine;
  6. cover with a lid and simmer for 6–7 minutes, then shake the casserole while keeping the lid closed - this is done to move the lower shells to the top;
  7. cook until all the shells are open.


Stuffed mussels

This dish was given to the world by the cuisine of southern Italy. You will need the following ingredients:

  • 0.8 kg of shellfish;
  • 80 g butter;
  • 70 g breadcrumbs;
  • parsley;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • 65 g Parmesan cheese;
  • a little salt and crushed black pepper.

Cooking the dish includes the following steps:

  1. rinse the shells thoroughly and boil them for several minutes; set aside to cool;
  2. grate the cheese on a fine grater;
  3. Peel the garlic and chop it and parsley;
  4. remove one of the flaps from each sink;
  5. put butter, grated cheese, crackers, chopped garlic and herbs into a saucepan, mix well and place on low heat;
  6. When the cheese has melted, stir the dressing again and turn off the stove.
  7. Place the clams on a baking sheet and pour the resulting dressing all over them;
  8. bake in a well-heated oven for about 5-7 minutes - the cheese mass should become golden brown and covered with an appetizing crust.


Mussels baked with spicy sauce

You need ingredients such as:

  • 1 kg of shellfish;
  • 50 g tobiko caviar;
  • 100 g mayonnaise;
  • 100 g hard cheese;
  • a little tabasco sauce.

The cooking process is as follows:

  1. wash the shellfish well, treat with boiling water and remove one shell;
  2. grate the cheese on a grater with small holes, mix with caviar, mayonnaise and Tabasco sauce;
  3. thoroughly pour the resulting gravy over the mussels;
  4. preheat the oven to +200 degrees;
  5. place the shells on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.


Important! They are usually served before the first meal to increase appetite.

Mussels with garlic, boiled in wine

In this recipe, seafood is cooked in the microwave. You need to prepare the following ingredients:

  • 0.4 kg of shellfish;
  • 1 glass of white wine;
  • 20 ml olive oil;
  • 2 tablespoons butter;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • a little table salt and ground black pepper.

You should adhere to the following steps:

  1. Wash and clean the sinks thoroughly;
  2. place them in a wide plastic cup, fill with wine and 400 ml of water;
  3. place the container in the microwave, turn it on at 70-80% power and cook for about a quarter of an hour until the doors open;
  4. catch the shellfish from a mixture of wine and water, place them on a dish and remove one of the shells;
  5. soften the butter, mix it with olive oil, add chopped garlic, salt and pepper;
  6. Pour this sauce over the shellfish and offer your guests a taste.


Serving

Typically, baked clams are served in their shells, in which they are cooked. They are placed in portions on small plates and on one tray. Smoked and marinated shellfish are served on skewers. They often place a plate of sliced ​​lemon next to it. As a rule, white varieties are served as wines, as they go well with seafood. Seafood also goes well with light beer. Often mussels are included in dishes as one of the components - for example, soups. Here, options for both peeled shellfish and shellfish are possible.


Subtleties of use

According to etiquette, shellfish are eaten with an oyster fork, and small tongs are also served. They are held in the left hand and the doors are opened, and with a fork in the right hand they carefully pick up the meat and put it into the mouth. But when served in shells, it is allowed to take the shell and carefully drink the dish. Be careful - you may splash the juice on yourself and others or make a squelching sound when eating the shellfish, so it is better to practice eating mussels at home, rather than in a restaurant.

If there are shells in the mussel soup, catch them on a separate plate, eat them according to the above method (with a fork and tongs), and put the empty shells on the plate intended for them.

  • You can and even need to experiment with recipe components: you can try orange or tangerine juice instead of lemon, change the composition of spices or the type of cheese.
  • For the recipe for baked mussels in cheese and garlic sauce, watch the video below.

    Shellfish dishes are gaining popularity all over the world every year. Refined taste mussels cooked according to various recipes, leaves no one indifferent. The delicacy is considered not only tasty, but also healthy, containing an impressive amount of minerals.

    Choosing the right mussels

    1. When choosing fresh mussels, pay attention to the aroma; the shellfish should smell like the sea. Otherwise, the presence of extraneous odor indicates damage to the product. When selecting fresh mussels in shells, look for tightly closed shells.
    2. When buying peeled frozen shellfish, pay attention to the color, it should be lemon. If you choose mussels in their shells, carefully inspect their surface. There should not be any cracks or chips on it.
    3. These factors indicate neglectful storage and freezing. This kind of mussels can pose a danger to the body. Beneficial features will also be missing.
    4. Taste qualities directly depend on the size of the mollusks. When you purchase mussels, you can determine their quality at home. Place the shellfish in a container with melt water and wait 30 minutes. After the specified time, live mollusks will sink to the bottom, while spoiled ones will remain floating.
    5. Another important factor is that good mussels have shells that are almost always closed. You can check this by knocking on it. If the shell does not close, discard the clam.

    Frozen clams in shells

    • filtered water - 4.5 l.
    • mussels in shells - 1.2 kg.
    • spices, table salt - to taste
    1. Place frozen clams in a container of cold water and wait until completely thawed. Then select good mussels and clean the shells to a glossy shine. Get rid of sand and algae.
    2. Pour water into an enamel container, place it on the burner, and simmer at maximum power. Wait until the first bubbles appear, add salt and spices to taste.
    3. Then turn the heat to minimum. Add mussels. When boiling again, wait 3 minutes and remove the seafood. Start your meal by adding fresh herbs or sauce to taste.

    Clams with coconut milk

    • onion - 1 pc.
    • lemongrass - 10 gr.
    • mussels in shells - 2.2 kg.
    • celery - ½ stalk
    • leek - 1 stalk
    • table salt - to taste
    • allspice- taste
    • coconut milk- 600 ml.
    1. Finely chop the vegetables. When chopping leeks, try to use the white flesh. Place the shellfish in a large enamel container, top with the vegetables, then add the spices. Pour the coconut milk over the ingredients.
    2. Place the pan on the burner and simmer at maximum power. Wait about 6 minutes, remove the container from the heat. Cover the container with a lid and shake well.

    • rock salt - 25 gr.
    • lemon juice - 12 ml.
    • drinking water - 1.2 l.
    • mussels in shells (fresh) - 1.8 kg.
    1. Soak the mussels in cold water, then clean the shells. Pour purified water into a heat-resistant container, heat it and wait until bubbles appear.
    2. Then add lemon juice and salt. Place the clams in the pan and cover with a lid. After 4-5 minutes, remove the opened shells, cook the rest for no more than 8 minutes.
    3. Shellfish that have not opened after the specified time should be discarded. Use until completely cool.

    Stewed mussels in garlic sauce

    • lemon juice - 70 ml.
    • garlic - 1 head
    • fresh mussels in shells - 1.2 kg.
    • parsley - 10 gr.
    • ground black pepper - 4 gr.
    • cream - 20 ml.
    • filtered water - 150 ml.
    • table salt - to taste
    • butter - 65 gr.
    1. Place the mussels in a pan of cool water. Place the container over high heat. Wait for the shells to open. Place the clams that have opened in the pan. Get rid of the top part of the shell.
    2. Pour 150 ml into the container with mussels. drinking water. Add salt to taste, butter, finely chopped garlic. Heat the dish for about 2 minutes.
    3. After the specified time has elapsed, stir in the cream. The process of simmering over low heat occurs until the sauce turns into a creamy paste.
    4. Once you have achieved the desired consistency, place the mussels on a plate. Add allspice and chopped parsley to the resulting sauce. Pour the mixture over the clams.

    Mussels with white wine sauce

    • heavy cream - 120 ml.
    • mussels in shells - 900 gr.
    • dry white wine - 550 ml.
    • cilantro - 35 gr.
    • lemongrass - 12 gr.
    • garlic - 6 cloves
    • table salt - to taste
    • allspice - 3 gr.
    • onion - 1 head
    • butter - 60 gr.
    • bay leaf - 3 pcs.
    • saffron - 3 gr.
    1. Finely chop the garlic and onion. Fry the ingredients in a frying pan with butter. Then pour in the wine, add lemongrass and bay leaf. Simmer the mixture for about 8 minutes.
    2. After the specified time has passed, place the clams in the pan. Simmer until the mussels open. If the shell remains intact, get rid of it.
    3. Place the finished mussels on a wide dish. Strain the sauce, then pour it into a saucepan, adding pepper, cream and saffron. Simmer the mixture over low heat for 7 minutes. Then chop the cilantro, stir and pour over the clam mixture.

    • grated tomatoes - 3 pcs.
    • garlic - 4 cloves
    • peeled mussels in shells - 1.2 kg.
    • table salt - to taste
    • ground pepper - to taste
    • olive oil - 30 gr.
    • breadcrumbs - 60 gr.
    • parsley - 10 gr.
    • cloves - 1 bud.
    1. Pour in 500 ml. water in a heat-resistant container, place the mussels. Turn the burner on to maximum power. When the clams open, place them on a plate.
    2. Remove the top of the shell. While the seafood is cooling, chop the parsley and grind it with pepper, salt, and cloves.
    3. Combine the greens in a common container with breadcrumbs, tomatoes and olive oil. Mix the mixture until you end up with a creamy consistency. Add water if necessary.
    4. Place the clams on a pre-greased baking sheet. Spread a teaspoon of sauce onto each mussel shell.
    5. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 12 minutes. After cooking, eat seafood hot.
    1. When preparing mussels according to the standard recipe, cook the shellfish with water and white wine in a 1:1 ratio. This move allows the seafood to acquire a subtle, refined aroma.
    2. When purchasing fresh shellfish, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a day, wrapped in a cotton towel. The procedure is carried out after washing.
    3. You can freeze seafood for up to 90 days. To do this, clean the shells, dry them and place the mussels in a food container. Close the container tightly with a lid and place in the freezer.

    The process of cooking mussels in shells is not difficult. Main feature The creation of a unique dish is considered to be correctly selected shellfish. Follow the recommended recipes, then the delicacy will not leave your loved ones indifferent.

    Video: Spicy baked mussels in shells