Mussels are one of the star shellfish in fishmongers. Their characteristic flavor, in addition to their properties, make them a star food on the tables of our homes. They are available everywhere in the form of canned, clean canned and ready to eat. But the mussels that best preserve their nutritional and organoleptic characteristics are fresh mussels. They must be cleaned before cooking them and this has its technique, even if it is not difficult.
We recommend that you consume the mussels the same day you buy them, otherwise they will lose their properties and flavor. If you have to keep them in the refrigerator, do not keep them for more than two days and keep them wrapped in a cloth soaked in water and coarse salt. If you defrost them, to ensure the best flavor, consume them as soon as you prepare them after defrosting. You must check one by one if they are fit for consumption; if they open and close, it is a good sign. If they are broken, do not open or give off an unpleasant odor, remove them. You will receive the definitive sign that they are in bad condition after cooking them, but if you see anything abnormal on the mussels before cleaning them, throw them away:
- Wash them thoroughly in cold water to remove any sand they may have.
- Scrape off the remains of crustaceans stuck to the shell with a knife. This is one of the most delicate parts and the one that requires the most effort when cleaning mussels, since you have to check that they do not have any remains one by one. If the knife is not enough, you can also scrub them with the dish brush, preferably metal. You should always try to make the shell as clean and polished as possible.
- After polishing them and checking that they are ready to cook, cut with scissors the filaments – the hairs – that connect the two shells.
- Put them in cold water again and they will be ready to cook.
How to cook mussels
Once cleaned, you need to think about what to do with the mussels and how to cook them. They can be steamed or fried. The most direct method is to put them in a pot or pan with the heat on full power and a lid. Stir the pot for five minutes without removing the lid. If after this process some remain closed, throw them away and keep only those that have been opened. Never eat a bivalve that does not open with heat.
They will be ready in no time, to be enjoyed with a little lemon and pepper. But if you want to give a different touch to the preparation of mussels, you will not need to spend hours in the kitchen either and you can give them an extra flavor with simple ingredients.
More elaborate: mussels a la marinera
Mussels go very well with sauces. And if you can make them while cooking this seafood, even better. Mussels a la marinera are a simple and traditional dish present in Spanish gastronomy. If you want to give your mussels marinera a special touch, we also teach you how to prepare them with a spicy touch. They contain the following ingredients:
- A kilo of mussels
- an onion
- Two cloves of garlic
- 200 ml of white wine
- 60 ml crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika (or hot, if you want it spicy)
- A bay leaf
- A bunch of chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
- Tabasco to taste (optional, only if you want it spicy)
You can get creative with this recipe and add red or green pepper or finely chopped tomato to give different textures and flavors to your mussel sauce. To prepare this seafood marinara sauce, you need to follow these steps:
- In a large saucepan with 300 ml of water and a little salt, cook the mussels, removing them as they open. Remember that if the mussels do not open, you must throw them away immediately. Once cooked, filter the water by passing it through a paper coffee filter or a very small strainer to remove all the dirt and reserve the broth.
- In the same pan where you are going to serve these mussels, sauté the onion over low heat, adding a few tablespoons of olive oil until it is very soft. If you prefer, wait until it takes on a characteristic golden color. Add the crushed tomato and let the water evaporate with the onion until it has lost most of its liquid. Add a tablespoon of sweet or hot paprika, cook for a few minutes and be careful not to burn the paprika.
- You can remove one of the shells from each mussel to make it easier to eat before putting them back in the pot.
- Then add the white wine, the Tabasco if you want it spicy and the water from the mussels, letting them boil.
- Cover the pan and turn off the heat to let the mussels cook in the steam generated for a few minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley and sprinkle it on top, immediately bringing the pan to the table.
How to choose good mussels
When buying mussels, we must pay attention to several factors. From the origin, to its condition or color, it is very important that we pay attention to the signs that tell us that the seafood we buy is of quality and fresh:
- Choose local mussels: it is important to know that the mussels that arrive at our premises come from nurseries, which guarantees their healthiness. Among the most appreciated are those from the Ebro Delta and those from Galicia, so there is no doubt that betting on one of them is a good choice.
- In good condition: it is important to consume mussels that have passed the corresponding controls and analyses to avoid poisoning. Mussels filter seawater – up to 8 liters per hour – to feed themselves and, in doing so, they can accumulate toxins and microorganisms that are harmful to our health. This is why it is not recommended to collect them yourself from rocks or beaches for fun, and to eat them raw.
- Color is not decisive: The tone of the mussels’ flesh is not decisive in their condition, unless they come out green or black (in which case they should be discarded). They can be dark orange or yellow depending on whether they are male or female.
