Mussels are a wonderful product for everyone, and for adherents of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, this low-calorie source of protein is simply a godsend! Therefore, I cannot help but share the secrets of preparing this mollusk. Well, another reason for my such desire is that recently, on vacation, I met a wonderful person, Ilona, who told me and showed me how to cook mussels in shells correctly.
We were lucky then - we collected sea mollusks ourselves more than once. Oh, what wonderful evening gatherings these were - mussels, wine (yes, I confess, I deviated a little from the point, but that’s what it’s all about, vacation), great company, what else do you need for happiness?
Mussels in soy sauce
This recipe is one of the simplest. You don’t need a lot of ingredients for it, and the delicious dish will be ready in a few minutes.
You will need:
- 200 grams – mussels
- 2 cloves – garlic
- Pinch of oregano
- 20 milliliters - soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon – vegetable oil
How to cook:
1. Pour vegetable oil into the frying pan. Peel the garlic cloves. They are pressed down with a spoon and then sent to a heated frying pan. Fry the garlic over medium heat for 40-50 seconds.
2. When it gives off its aroma to the oil, it is taken back out. Place mussels in a frying pan and lightly fry. Soy sauce is also poured in there.
3. Add oregano or other spices to your taste. Cook the shellfish for a few minutes. They will absorb the sauce. You can add a slice of lemon to the dish when serving.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 240 kcal
Bon appetit!
Hearty pasta with mussels
Pasta with mussels in tomato sauce
The dish is suitable for a hearty lunch or dinner. It is not only tasty, but also healthy.
You will need:
- 200 grams – spaghetti
- 100 grams – mussels
- 400 grams – tomato
- 1 clove – garlic
- Salt - to taste
- Ground black pepper - to taste
- 50 grams – hard cheese
- 4 tablespoons – olive oil
How to cook:
1. First, put the spaghetti on to cook. Finely chop the garlic. Peel the tomatoes with a sharp knife, scalding the vegetables with boiling water.
2. Then the tomatoes are cut into cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan.
3. The garlic is laid out and cooked for a few seconds, then the tomatoes are added.
4. Mix everything, salt, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. After the sauce has thickened, add the mussels. The ingredients are mixed.
5. The finished spaghetti is transferred to a frying pan with sauce. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve the dish lightly sprinkled with cheese.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 113 kcal
Bon appetit!
How to eat mussels in shells: a useful video with tips
At sea, in the company of friends, etiquette rules are of no use. We ate mussels with our hands and a fork - whatever was convenient for us. But in a restaurant you will have to use cutlery. However, there is another option for how to eat mussels correctly. According to the author of the video, this is how it is customary to eat the dietary delicacy in France:
Irina Polyanitsa My name is Irina, I am the owner and admin of the site, as well as the author of most of the recipes and articles. I love to cook simple and healthy delicacies. Certified gym instructor, personal trainer. She completed a course on nutrition and health at Stanford University, Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, as well as a course at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy (about nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy).
Mussels fried with onions in a frying pan
This light and quick dish will please seafood lovers and even those who were previously indifferent to them.
You will need:
- 200 grams – mussels
- 1 head – onion
- 50 grams – butter
- 2-3 pieces – green onions
- 2-3 sprigs – parsley
- 2-3 pinches of salt
- 1-2 pinches of pepper
- 1-2 pieces – cardamom
How to cook:
1. Chop the onion and add cardamom to it. The mussel meat is salted and peppered.
2. Heat the frying pan with fat. Shellfish meat and onions are placed in it at the same time. The ingredients are fried for 3-4 minutes.
3. Next, chop the parsley and green onions. Fried mussels are placed on a dish, sprinkled with onions and parsley.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 59 kcal
Bon appetit!
Holiday salad
Frozen mussel salad with cucumber, eggs and herbs
This salad will decorate the festive table and will please guests both visually and in taste. It is very easy to prepare.
You will need:
- 200 grams – mussels
- 1 PC. - large cucumber
- 2 pcs. – chicken eggs
- 3-4 pieces – green onions
- 3-4 sprigs – dill
- 50 grams – mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper - to taste
How to cook:
1. Vegetables should be washed and dried. Chicken eggs are boiled for 8 minutes. They are cleaned. The shellfish are doused with boiling water after defrosting. You can boil the seafood for a few minutes in salted water.
2. Next, chop the cucumber, onion, and dill. Everything is put in one container. Chopped boiled eggs and mussels are also placed here. The ingredients are salted, peppered, seasoned with mayonnaise, and mixed.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 80 kcal
Bon appetit!
Pilaf with mussels
The dish is so unusual that it will most likely surprise everyone in your household. It must be eaten hot.
You will need:
- 250 grams – mussels
- 1 PC. - onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 cup – rice
- 2 glasses – water
- 0.5 bunch – parsley
- 60 milliliters – sunflower oil
- Salt and pepper - to taste
How to cook:
1. First, peel the onions and carrots. Carrots need to be cut into strips, onions into half rings.
2. Heat sunflower oil in a saucepan. Onions and carrots are put there. You need to fry until the onion becomes soft and transparent.
3. Now add the mussels. They are fried with onions and carrots for 5 minutes over low heat.
4. Next, add the washed rice. All ingredients are fried for another 3 minutes. Salt, pepper, add chopped parsley.
5. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water and wait until the liquid boils. Cover the dish with a lid and cook the pilaf for about 20 minutes.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 148 kcal
Bon appetit!
Mussels in shells in creamy garlic sauce with cheese
When purchasing, try to choose shells that have already been peeled; if that doesn’t work, you’ll have to process them yourself. with cheese , it turned out incredibly tasty, check it out by going to another page.
You will need:
- Mussels - 1 kg.
- Cream 10% - 300 ml.
- Soy sauce - large spoon.
- Cheese – 80 gr.
- Garlic – 4 cloves.
- Butter – 20 gr.
- Flour - a small spoon.
- Sunflower oil – 2 large spoons + 20 ml.
- Hot chili pepper, black pepper - a pinch.
- Dill - several sprigs.
- Salt - to taste.
Step by step recipe:
Clean the shells from algae sticking out of the shell shells. If you find anything else unnecessary, delete it.
Rinse under running water and place in a bowl. Carefully drain all the liquid (to be sure, dry the shells with a paper towel - this is an important point).
Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife to release their flavor better. Then chop into slices.
Heat a dry frying pan thoroughly, turning the heat to maximum. Place mussels in shells. Cover quickly.
Do not reduce the fire power. Cook on full heat for a few seconds (shake the pan and count to 5-7).
Then remove the lid, quickly pour oil over the shells, and cover the pan again with the lid.
Your goal is to wait for the doors to open. Do not be alarmed by smoke or large amounts of steam - the fire should be as big as possible. Once all the doors are open, remove the pan from the heat and do not touch it again for now. Approximate cooking time is 5 minutes.
Heat oil in a separate frying pan. Throw in the garlic slices. Heat for about half a minute so that the oil absorbs the garlic smell.
Place a piece of butter. Wait until it blooms, add flour. At the same time, continuously mix the components.
When the mass becomes homogeneous, pour in the cream. Let it boil.
Salt the cream sauce, add black and red pepper. Do not leave the stove; the contents must be stirred continuously.
Almost immediately the sauce will begin to thicken. When you feel you are happy with the consistency, add soy sauce. After a minute, the creamy garlic gravy is ready.
Drain the liquid from the pan with the mussels. If there is a little left, it's okay. Pour in the sauce.
Sprinkle the dish with grated cheese
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Chop the dill into fine crumbs.
Decorate the dish.
Take an empty shell in your hand and open the filled one. Using the empty flaps, carefully remove the meat. Dip it in the sauce and put it in your mouth. Soak the remaining sauce with bread. Bon appetit!
Mussels in white wine
This dish can be safely offered to guests. It is incredibly tasty and easy to prepare.
You will need:
- 1 kilogram – mussels
- 25 grams – butter
- 300 grams – dry white wine
- 45 grams – fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper - to taste
How to cook:
1. Heat butter in a saucepan. Wine is added there and brought to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the shellfish for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Now line the sieve or colander with a paper towel. A sieve is placed over a bowl. Boiled mussels are placed in it. The broth will gradually drain into the bowl.
3. Transfer the boiled shellfish to a serving dish. The broth is poured into a small saucepan, brought to a boil, salt and pepper. Parsley is added to it.
4. This sauce is poured over the dish and served immediately to the table.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 65 kcal
Bon appetit!
Mussels in the oven with vegetables and rice
How to cook frozen oysters?
Frozen oysters must be thawed before cooking. If you want to defrost the oysters in advance, then place them in the refrigerator, and if just before cooking, leave them at room temperature. Thawed shellfish should be carefully inspected and washed.
Preparing to cook
If you find shells with cracks or slightly open, throw them away mercilessly, even after heat treatment they can cause poisoning. Wash the shells with a brush under running water; this should be done immediately before cooking. Never wash oysters in advance; fresh tap water, penetrating inside, will hopelessly ruin the taste of the mollusk.
How to cook oysters, you must decide in advance. All cooking methods can be divided into 3 types:
- The shells are opened and the oysters are removed and cooked without the shells. In these cases, the finished dish can be served on the shell halves, or separately.
- The shells are opened, the upper parts are thrown out, and the lower parts with meat are cooked like small saucers.
- The entire shells are heat treated.
With any of these methods, it is necessary to remember that inside the shells there is, in addition to meat, liquid that needs to be preserved, either by draining, or by cooking so that it does not leak out. To do this, when cooking, the oysters should lie horizontally, flat side up. To give shells stability, salt is usually added underneath them.
When opening the sink, wear gloves or wrap it in a tissue to protect your fingers from cuts from the sharp edges of the valves. Turn the clam with the flat part up, keeping it strictly horizontal. It is better to open the shells with a special oyster knife, but you can get by with a regular one with a short blade. Its end must be inserted into the recess between the doors, turning it like a key in a lock. Then slide the knife inward, separating the clam from the top flap, go along the edge and turn the blade to open the shell. Make sure no shell fragments get inside.
Baked oysters
Oysters baked in the oven are very tasty; we will describe step by step how to properly prepare this dish at home.
To prepare them you will need:
- 7-10 oysters;
- Dry white wine – 0.5 cups;
- Onions, preferably red – 2 large pieces;
- Lemon – 1 pc.;
- Butter – 100 g;
- Hard cheese – 150 g;
- Seasonings to taste.
Read also: What color is carbon dioxide
Chop the onion and saute it in butter. When the onion begins to turn golden, add wine and simmer until the mixture thickens. Grate the cheese.
Shuck the oysters as described above. Sprinkle salt on a baking sheet to hold the shells horizontal and place the halves on the baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 200°C and place the baking tray with oysters in it for 10 minutes. After taking out the baking sheet and waiting for the shells to cool a little, we perform the following manipulations with each of them:
- remove the oyster meat onto a plate;
- put onion stewed in wine on the bottom of the shell;
- return the meat to it;
- squeeze a little lemon juice onto it;
- sprinkle grated cheese on top;
- add spices if desired.
Pour the remaining oil into the pan into the shells and return the pan to the preheated oven for 5 minutes until a cheese crust forms. Place on a plate and serve hot.
Mussels baked with rice and vegetables in the oven
Mussels go well with rice. This is easy to check by preparing this dish. It is tasty, easy to prepare and a little exotic.
You will need:
- 500 grams – mussels
- 1 PC. – red bell pepper
- 2 pcs. – small tomatoes
- 2 pcs. – bulbs
- 1 carrot
- 100 grams – white wine
- 1 cup – rice
- 1.5 cups – water
- Salt and herbs - to taste
How to cook:
1. Fry onions and peppers. Add chopped carrots, grated tomatoes and herbs.
2. Now add rice and simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
3. After this, add mussels and salt, put everything in a baking dish. Pour in wine and water.
4. Cover the rice with clams with foil. Heat the oven to 200 degrees, place the dish in the oven for 30 minutes.
Calorie content per 100 g. – 105 kcal
Bon appetit!
Peeled mussels in creamy garlic sauce in the oven
Mussels baked in the oven will turn out tender, with a creamy taste.
We take:
- Mussels – 500 gr.
- Cream – 150 ml.
- Garlic cloves - 4 pcs.
- Black pepper, salt.
If desired, you can add thyme, parsley, basil.
How to cook in the oven:
- Thaw the cleaned shells in gentle conditions, rinse thoroughly, and dry with paper towels.
- Grind the garlic cloves into fine crumbs.
- Place the garlic in a container with cream, pepper, and add other seasonings of your choice. Mix thoroughly.
- Place seafood in a heat-resistant form, pour cream.
- Bake in the oven at 180 o C, turning on the timer for 10-15 minutes.
Pork fillet stewed with mussels
At first glance, it may seem that such a dish cannot be tasty. It is unusual and is rarely found on tables. But as soon as any taster tries it, he will definitely ask for more.
You will need:
- 800 grams – mussels
- 800 grams – pork fillet
- 2 tablespoons – sweet pepper
- 300 milliliters – white wine
- 1 PC. - Bay leaf
- 1 sprig – coriander
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- 2 tablespoons – olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves – garlic
For the sweet pepper dressing:
- 3-4 pieces – red sweet pepper
How to cook:
1. Place the pork fillet in a bowl. Peel the garlic and squeeze it through a garlic press. Stir in white wine and sweet red pepper dressing. The marinade is poured onto the meat. Add bay leaf and coriander. Marinate the dish for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Turn the meat once.
2. Now remove the pork fillet from the marinade. The liquid must be allowed to drain. The fillets are wiped with a paper towel and rubbed with salt and pepper. No need to pour out the marinade! It will also be needed in further cooking.
3. Heat olive oil in a cauldron and finely chop the onion. Fry the fillet for 2 minutes on each side. Add onion, simmer for 3-4 minutes.
4. The ingredients are poured with marinade. Cover the cauldron with a lid and simmer for 60 minutes. 30 minutes before the end of stewing, the shellfish are added to the meat.
5. It is better to choose rice as a side dish.
The sweet pepper dressing (sauce) is made as follows:
1. Sweet peppers in the amount of 3-4 pieces are washed, peeled from the tail and seeds, and cut into strips. They are sprinkled with salt and left in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2. After this, preheat the oven to 250 degrees. The pepper pieces are washed with water. Dry with a kitchen towel. Place skin side up on a baking sheet. You need to fry using the top fire.
3. Fry the vegetable until the skin begins to blacken and bubble. Remove the pepper and peel the skin. Place the pepper pulp in a mixer bowl and add 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic.
4. Grind everything with a hand mixer and add 6 tablespoons of olive oil, as well as a tablespoon of fresh coriander.
Bon appetit!
Delicious mussels in Greek cream sauce
It is difficult to say which recipe for cooking seafood in creamy garlic sauce is most successful. You might like this one, with white wine. Please note, in 100 gr. delicious, only 109 kcal.
Ingredients:
- Mussels in shells – 500 gr.
- Cream 15% - 200 ml.
- Dry white wine – 50 ml.
- Garlic – 3 cloves.
- Onion – 40 gr.
- Cheese – 40 gr.
- Butter (or vegetable oil) – a large spoon.
- Black pepper, salt.
Preparation:
- Chop the onion into small cubes and fry in a frying pan until beautifully browned.
- Add the garlic, crushed into a puree using a press.
- Immediately pour in the wine and let it boil.
- After a minute, fill the contents of the pan with cream. Wait for it to boil.
- Grate the cheese on a large mesh grater. Add to sauce. Salt and pepper.
- Separately, fry the mussels, cook until they open, as described in the step-by-step recipe.
- When the gravy boils and thickens a little, add the shells.
- Warm up for just a minute, then turn off the burner. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.
