Cooking Mussels

Harvesting and Cooking Blue Mussels

Blue mussels are a favorite shellfish that are found along coastlines of the North Atlantic. Harvesting blue mussels is a relaxing pastime and a simple way to enjoy wild caught seafood. Before searching for blue mussels, remember to check with agencies for harvesting regulations, health advisories and other information.

Once mussels are located, they can be picked by hand and placed in a bucket. When enough mussels have been harvested for a meal, it is a good idea to add some water to the bucket, give it a few swirls, then drain and add more clean salt water. In warm weather they should be stored in a cooler with a little ice, being careful to separate the ice from the mussels so they don’t freeze.

After returning home, mussels should be rinsed thoroughly and kept cool. Some harvesters place the mussels in a container of clean sea water overnight, which is then stored in a cooler with a block of ice at one end. This method keeps the mussels cool but allows them to open long enough to expel sand or grit. Be careful not to remove the beard yet or allow mussels to stand in fresh water as either practice may kill them.

After a few hours in clean saltwater they are ready for a final rinse and inspection prior to cooking. Discard any individuals that do not close tightly when tapped. If the mussels will be served in the shell, it is best to remove the beard just prior to cooking, otherwise de-bearding may be easier after they are cooked. Either method seems to work.

Blue mussels can be steamed, baked in the oven or laid on a grill until they open. A popular dish is simply to serve whole cooked mussels on a plate with crackers or bread and small bowls of melted butter and malt vinegar for dipping. They are often an ingredient in New England seafood dishes such as Cioppino. Blue mussels are small, bright in color and taste similar to oysters. They are a good source of iron, selenium and vitamin B12.

 

Fisherman’s Cioppino with Blue Mussels

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped, with their juices
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 lbs fresh mussels in the shell
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the parsley and tomatoes. Raise the heat and bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup water and the wine.

Cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes.

Add mussels (in shell), cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

About the Author

The author writes for outdoor websites including Hampton Roads Va, Chesapeake Bay News and Freshwater Fishing News.

Cooking Mussels?

Bought some Mussels, they are already with shell open, frozen, and are with a garlic butter seasoning already. The package says cook from frozen (ready in 5 minutes) and to cook either in oven or microwave. The microwave idea sounds kinda gross, I was planning on steaming them, approx. how long would it take to steam them? 2-5 minutes?

Here is a good recipe that I like. Let me know if you try it.

PAELLA

1/2 lb. salt pork, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 chicken (2 1/2 lbs.), cut into serving pieces
1 lb. raw med. shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 raw lobster (2 lbs.), cut into serving pieces (may be replaced by extra shrimp)
2 chorizos (Spanish sausages) or hot Italian or Portuguese sausages
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. whole saffron or 1/4 tsp. powdered saffron
2 tbsp. capers
1/3 c. chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 1/2 c. uncooked white rice
3 1/2 c. chicken stock (approximately)
Freshly ground black pepper
20 mussels, well scrubbed
20 sm. clams, well rinsed (may be replaced by mussels)
1 pkg. frozen artichoke hearts, partly thawed (or jar or can of water- packed ones)
1/2 c. freshly cooked or frozen green peas
1 (4 oz.) can pimentos
Lemon wedges

In a heavy 4 quart ovenproof skillet, casserole, or paella pan, saute pork until brown. Set aside pork and keep fat in skillet.
Mix garlic with thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, vinegar, oil, and coriander. Coat chicken pieces with mixture and let stand at least 30 minutes before cooking.

In pork fat in skillet, saute shrimp quickly until bright pink; remove and set aside. Do the same with the lobster.

Fry the chorizos in the same pan until cooked, about 20 minutes. Slice and reserve.

Brown the chicken pieces in the fat remaining in the pan; you may wish to drain off some fat after browning chicken. Sprinkle chicken with onion, saffron, capers, and tomatoes. Add reserved pork pieces (optional), wine, rice, and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently about 15 minutes.

Steam mussels and clams in 1/4 cup water until they open, about 5 minutes. Discard any that do not open.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the shrimp, lobster, artichoke hearts, and peas to the chicken and rice. Cook, uncovered, 5-10 minutes. If all the liquid has been absorbed, add the liquid from the mussels and clams or more chicken broth. The rice should be moist but there should be no excess liquid.

When rice is properly cooked, add the pimentos and reserved chorizos. Garnish with mussels and clams, cover, and reheat in oven if necessary; reduce heat; to 200 degrees if it is to be kept warm for more than 15-20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

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