Mussel salad - general principles and methods of preparation
If you have ever been to the Black Sea coast, you probably did not deny yourself the desire to try a real freshly prepared mussel. All these seafood - mussels, shrimps, oysters - are very nutritious, contain a large amount of protein, but are completely safe for our waist. Mussels in this regard are the most unique product - after all, 100 grams contains only 20 kcal. There is a minimum of fats in them, but vitamins E and B, unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids and other useful substances, in excess. Some, on the advice of nutritionists, even try to lose weight with the help of shellfish.
So, we prepare a salad of mussels - in addition, we also stock up on calcium, magnesium and iodine. And this means that now you can be calm and for your emotional state, because we are not afraid of any stress, and the thyroid gland will be in order. Mussels are simply necessary for men - it is they who increase male strength, and help to stay young for a long time, preventing the natural aging process. Traditional medicine has long ranked mussels as aphrodisiacs, and low cholesterol normalizes liver function.
Mussel Salad - Preparation
In our country, most often you can buy frozen mussels. You need to cook them on the day of purchase, as when defrosting, it quickly deteriorates. They are part of various dishes, from salads to diet soups. Remember that this product requires special attention, as it can cause the most dangerous poisoning due to poor-quality products. Choose carefully, take a closer look and sniff. The smell should be marine, the shells are tightly covered. If the flaps are ajar and do not close when pressed, then they should not be taken. Meat with entrails is used as food - the contents of the shell. You can fill salads with mayonnaise, soy sauce or lemon juice.
Mussel Salad - Best Recipes
Recipe 1: Mussel Salad with Eggs and Mayonnaise
Very simple and delicious salad is prepared quickly and easily. All products are ready, you only need to boil mussels and eggs.
Ingredients: eggs (3 pcs.), frozen mussels (200 grams), hard cheese (150 grams), a small bird, lettuce leaves for decoration, cucumber, mayonnaise (2 tablespoons).
Cooking method
Boil the eggs and cut them, you can use the egg slicer. Rub the cheese on a grater, wash the mussels under running water, fill with cold water, salt and put on the stove. After boiling the mussels, 2 minutes are enough to boil. Wash and dry the parsley, finely chop. Drain the water through a sieve and leave the mussels to glass the water. We combine all components in a bowl, and season with mayonnaise. Put fox salad on the bottom of a flat plate or salad bowl. On top we spread the mussel salad, garnish - beautifully chopped fresh or pickled cucumber. Very appetizing!
Recipe 2: Mussel Salad with Rice
If you plan to use thawed mussels, then take care in advance to defrost them in time. The best option is to put them in a bowl and put them not in the freezer, but in the refrigerator. Make long grain rice.
Ingredients: milk (250 grams), olive oil, parsley, bay leaf, salt, pepper, rice (150 grams), cherry tomatoes (8 pcs), boiled eggs (2 pcs).
Cooking method
Defrost and rinse the mussels. We will cook them in milk, so we pour it into a pan and make sure that it does not run away. Put bay leaf, peas, mussels, a little salt in it, cook 4 minutes after boiling. We shift into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Cook friable rice, mix it with mussels. We cut slices of cherry tomatoes and eggs, parsley. Pouring - oil, vinegar, ground pepper and salt, season with mussels. Arrange on plates, decorate with tomatoes, herbs and eggs.
Recipe 3: Mussel Salad with Pickled Mushrooms
Pickled mushrooms go well with mussels. You will get a great salad seasoned with lemon juice. Olives can be cut into rings and mixed with salad, or simply put on top for decoration.
Ingredients: mussels (500 grams), vegetable oil (20 grams), lemon (1 pc), pickled cucumber (2 large), pickled mushrooms (150 grams), olives.
Cooking method
Cut the onion and fry it over low heat until half cooked. We rinse the mussels and dried, sent to the pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring. The water should evaporate, and the mussels should be steamed well. Put them on a plate. Cut pickled cucumber and mushrooms into half rings. We combine the ingredients in a salad bowl, pour them with lemon juice, decorate with olives and serve.
Mussel Salad - Useful Tips from Experienced Cookers
A large number of spices or a pronounced sauce can drown the taste, but this does not apply to wine, in which you can cook mussels. Pour 2 cups of white or red dry wine with spices into a deep pot, lay the mussels and cook for about 5 minutes after boiling. Remember that undisclosed mollusks should not be eaten. Salad from such mussels acquires a bright pronounced taste. This is a real delicacy.
Mussels: it's interesting
The shell of the mussel consists of two smooth cusps that are not connected by muscles, they breathe using a special organ (siphon), capturing and drawing in water. The oxygen necessary for respiration is separated by gills from the water. The siphon also captures food. A fine suspension, passing through the gills, is filtered off and enters the mouth located directly near the siphon.
These mollusks breed caviar, laying about 15 million black eggs for 1 time. Caviar hatches under the gills. Small mollusks initially do not have a shell; they form much later, making the mollusk heavier. Under this weight, he sinks more and more to the bottom, but does not live at a very great depth - only from 3 to 30 meters. They are distributed practically all over the planet and have commercial value; they are even grown on special farms.
But sometimes there are poisonous mussels that can lead to the death of a person. Why is this happening? Scientists have long sought an answer to this question. One of the versions is armored poisonous algae, which can be found in mussels as food. Interestingly, mussels can accumulate in huge colonies, forming whole heaps. One of the largest clusters of mollusks discovered by researchers of the deep sea was 100 meters in diameter and 20 meters high.
