And bring something completely unusual to the table. But not everyone has the opportunity to get some exotic items in local markets and supermarkets.

Shellfish dishes on the festive table

In such cases, baked mussels can be a real find; fortunately, they can easily be found on the shelves of most fish stores. The variety of recipes can please the most demanding housewife, because these mollusks are prepared in the form of fillets, in half shells, and whole. In addition, mussels come with a huge number of sauces, which you can also prepare yourself.

The cost of mussels is quite high, but quite comparable to the price of exquisite varieties of fish and shrimp. Of course, dishes made from these seafood cannot be classified as everyday cuisine, but why not treat yourself to such a delicious dish on a holiday? Those who decide to serve baked mussels may find the following recipes useful. They are different and different from each other, but each of them is able to satisfy the most demanding taste.

Mussels in shells with Mediterranean sauce

To prepare one kilogram of shellfish you will need:

• garlic - 3 cloves;
• olive oil - 5 tbsp;
• lemon - 0.5 (for juice);
• salt;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.;
• Italian herb seasoning mixture.

The shells should be soaked in cold water in advance, allowing the sand to rinse out. Now boil water, add bay leaves and pepper, add mussels. After boiling again, wait exactly one minute and turn off. Place the shells on a plate to cool.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. While it is heating, chop the garlic, pour in lemon juice, add oil and aromatic herb seasoning. Using a knife, open the wings, pour garlic sauce over the pulp, place on a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.

Ready! Mussels baked in shells can be served.

Mussels with garlic sauce

This dish is often served in restaurants. It is probably known to everyone who loves baked mussels. The recipe is designed for a kilogram of shellfish in shells. In addition, you will need:

• garlic - 5 cloves;
• yolk - 1 pc.;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp;
• wheat flour - 2 tbsp;
• parsley;
• salt.

Before cooking mussels, they must be soaked in water. However, it is advisable to always do this, even if they appear clean.

The next step is immersion in boiling water. This will make it possible to easily open the valves (unless, of course, we have solid shells rather than halves). Then place the shells on a baking sheet lined with foil and begin preparing the sauce. Saute the flour, add butter and 1 cup of broth. You can use the one in which the mussels were boiled. When the sauce becomes homogeneous, squeeze in the garlic and remove from heat. Break the yolk with a fork, add a couple of spoons of sauce to it, stir gently so as not to curdle, pour into the pan with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with lemon juice. How much it should be - everyone decides for themselves, depending on their culinary preferences.

Pour the resulting gravy over each flap with pulp and sprinkle with herbs. In a preheated oven, bake this dish until fully cooked in just 5 minutes. Mussels baked in the oven are served immediately while still warm.

Clams in wine sauce

Frozen clams are also suitable for preparing this dish. However, before cooking mussels, they need to be thawed. To prepare a serving of a kilogram of shellfish, prepare:

• broth (fish, vegetable) - 400 ml;
• dry white wine - a glass;
• onions - 3 pcs. medium size;
• sweet pepper - 2 pcs.;
• flour - 2 tbsp;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• paprika, sugar, salt - a pinch;

Baked mussels, the recipe for which contains wine, do not cause alcoholic intoxication. This dish can be eaten by everyone. The fact is that under the influence of high temperature the “degree” simply evaporates, leaving only a sour taste and aroma.

We'll make the sauce like this. Fry the onion and pepper, add flour and wine, stir. Boil for 5 minutes and season with chopped garlic. Dissolve spices and sugar in water or broth, dilute the sauce with this mixture and let it boil again.

We will bake the mussels in the oven, on a baking sheet lined with foil, for no more than 10 minutes. Season each with sauce and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Baked mussels in cream and cheese sauce

For this dish, it is also advisable to buy mussels with one shell. If whole ones are used, they need to be opened, leaving the fillet on one of the shells, and the second one removed. Products required for cooking:

• mussels in one shell - 400 g,
• cream 33% - 200 ml;
• semi-dry white wine - 150 g;
• cheese "Dorblu" - 50 g;
• leeks, a couple of cloves of garlic.

Blanch the mussels in boiling water along with the shells. In a cast iron wok, fry onion and garlic (finely chopped). Next, you need to pour in the wine, simmer a little and add finely chopped Dorblu. Simmer the sauce until thick. Place the shells on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil, pour over the sauce, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 160°C.

This dish is served hot, right along with the wings.

Mussels in cheese and caviar sauce

This delicious dish is served in the best restaurants in the world. Tender clam flesh, crispy caviar and viscous melted cheese create a divine combination. But in order to enjoy this luxurious dish, you don’t have to go to a restaurant. You can cook mussels baked with cheese and caviar yourself. To do this, we will stock up on the following set of ingredients:

• mussels in halves - 1 kg,
• Philadelphia cheese - 0.5 kg;
• mayonnaise "Provencal" - 0.2 kg;
• soy sauce - to taste;
• flying fish caviar - 3 tbsp;
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp;
• wasabi paste - 1 tsp.

Boil the washed and soaked mussels in boiling water for a couple of minutes and let the water drain. Meanwhile, grate the cheese on a fine grater and mix with mayonnaise. Add Japanese horseradish. How much of this spicy seasoning to add to a dish is up to everyone to decide for themselves. It all depends on the culinary habits of the family or company. Pour over soy sauce and lemon juice. Now add the caviar and mix thoroughly so that it is distributed evenly throughout the sauce. Place the mussels on a baking sheet and add the sauce. It should completely fill the shells.

Then we send the dish to bake in a very hot oven. It will take about 10 minutes for the baked mussels to cook.

Serving mussel appetizers to the table

As a rule, if these shellfish were cooked in the shells, then they are served in them. Usually they are laid out on one large dish, although serving them in portions is also quite acceptable. Baked mussels, like most seafood, go well with many types of white wine.

Etiquette rules state that you can eat mussels with a special oyster fork. But if pieces of shellfish are served in shells, it is quite acceptable not to use cutlery at all - just take the shell, bring it to your mouth and drink the contents. This must be done very carefully so that the juice does not splash.

If the valves are difficult to open even after boiling, then the shellfish are most likely stale. In this case, you should not eat them, because it is very easy to get poisoned by missing mussels.

Do not increase the time specified in the recipe too much, otherwise the meat will be tough. But you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with ingredients: change one type of cheese for another, add your favorite seasonings to sauces, use other citrus juices instead of lemon juice, creating delicious dishes in your own kitchen.

The sea has fed man for thousands of years. It is a repository of food reserves, which are famous for their nutritional value - rare microelements, vitamins, amino acids, high-quality protein. In addition to fish, the seas and oceans are home to octopuses, crabs, squid, scallops and many other healthy seafood that are suitable for food, including mussels. Which have tender soft meat with a sweetish taste. When it is boiled, it gives off a pleasant aroma. Pilaf, soups, salads, and stews are prepared from mussel meat. It is salted, pickled, smoked, baked, fried. Mussels are served with pasta, cereals, potatoes, and vegetables. It should be remembered that it is advisable to consume cooked shellfish immediately; do not store them for more than twelve hours, otherwise poisoning is possible.

Mussels - food preparation

Before consumption, shellfish require some preparation. If you do not want to chew sand while eating, frozen mussels must be rinsed very thoroughly after defrosting.

If you are going to cook mussels in their shells, longer preparation will be required. First of all, it is necessary to visually inspect them and remove shellfish with damaged shells; they are not eaten. To open the valves, the mussels must be placed in a hot frying pan or lowered into boiling water for two minutes. Then the meat is removed from the shell, the growth (a bunch of algae that attaches the mollusks to the stones) is pulled out, and thoroughly washed to remove sand and stones.

Mussels - the best recipes

Recipe 1: Marinated mussels

One of the most delicious dishes that can be prepared from mussels is to simply marinate them. They turn out very tasty and cheaper than store bought ones. You can add them to a salad, put them on a piece of toast, and just eat them. We offer two cooking options. In the first case, the marinade is indicated without adding vinegar - with spices, white wine and lemon, in the second - with vinegar. And so, so delicious.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg of mussels, vegetable oil - 2-3 tables. false., ? lemon (juice), 150 ml dry wine (white), 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon each. lie honey and prepared mustard, salt, pepper, 1 bay leaf, several sprigs of fresh dill and cilantro.

Cooking method

If using frozen mussels, defrost.
Prepare a spiced sauce in which the mussels will be boiled. To do this, boil the wine, put garlic in it (no need to chop), bay leaf, pepper, lower the mussels and boil for about four minutes (measure the time from the moment of boiling). Drain in a colander.
Make the marinade. Finely chop the greens, add lemon juice, oil, pepper, mustard, and salt. You can use any mustard, for example, French or spicy.
Transfer the still warm mussels, along with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic, into the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for about five hours. It is more convenient to marinate in a glass jar or deep bowl. By the way, you can marinate shrimp in the same way.

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, half a glass of water, 1 table. spoon of table vinegar (9%), 1.5-2 table. lie sugar, salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Thaw the shellfish. Salt the water, boil and boil the mussels in it for three to four minutes.
Make the marinade. It should taste sweet and sour. Dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water and add vinegar. Place mussels in hot marinade. In an hour they will be ready to eat. You can put them in jars and add a little vegetable oil.

Recipe 2: Baked mussels

Baked mussels are not only delicious, but also look beautiful, especially if they are baked and served directly in their shells. This dish is suitable for both a festive table and a romantic evening. We offer two cooking options: in the first option, seafood is baked in shells under a cheese crust, in the second - in a regular form with sauce.

Ingredients (1 option): 0.5 kg of mussels in shells, 2 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 50 g of butter, spices, 150 g of hard cheese.

Cooking method

Rinse the mussels well, peel the shells and boil for ten to fifteen minutes. You can add bay leaf, spices if desired, and salt to the water. During cooking, all the doors should open. Those that remain closed should not be eaten. Divide the cooled clams into halves and carefully separate the meat, which should be put back into the shells.

Grind the garlic and tomatoes using a grater or blender. Place a piece of butter and a spoonful of tomato mixture into each half of the meat, grate the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes (180C).

Ingredients (Option 2): 0.5 kg of mussels, peppercorns, hard cheese - 100g. Sauce: soft processed cheese approx - 100-150g, 200ml cream, 25g butter, 1 yolk, 1 table. spoon of flour, 3 cloves of garlic.

Cooking method

Defrost the mussels, boil for three minutes in salted water, adding peppercorns (5-6 pcs.).

Prepare the sauce. Chop the garlic and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. It is better to mix with a whisk or blender so that there are no lumps.

Place the mussels in a frying pan or mold, pour over the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes (200C).

Recipe 3: Fried mussels

Fried mussels are a simple dish to prepare, but delicious in taste. Both vegetable oil and melted butter will be used for frying. Nutritionists recommend butter, which contains at least 25% vegetable fats. But it must first be melted. Otherwise, harmful carcinogens may form in the pan when it burns.

Ingredients: 0.5 kg of mussels, vegetable oil, 2 onions, salt, ground hot pepper, seafood seasoning (or herbs de Provence).

Cooking method

Chop the onion into cubes and fry until golden. Add the mussels and fry, stirring constantly, for five to seven minutes over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, seasoning and remove from heat. Let it brew for a while, covered. Can be served with rice, potatoes or as a separate dish.

You should eat shellfish caught between June and February, because... In spring they are not so tasty and fatty.

Mussels should not be cooked for a long time, otherwise they will be dry and tasteless. The rule for boiling squids applies to them - no more than three to five minutes.

Fresh mussels should not have an unpleasant odor and have tightly closed flaps that cannot be opened by hand.

The sea has been feeding man since the very first days. Not only fish live in the depths of the waters, but also squid, octopus, shrimp, scallops - all of them can be eaten. Edible marine inhabitants also include mussels. These are bivalves that can be found all over the world. They are considered a delicacy, and in addition, they are rich in vitamins and have a beneficial effect on human health.

There are many recipes for their preparation, but first you need to choose a quality product. Shellfish can vary in shape and size, but this does not affect their taste. When you buy mussels in a shell, it is important that it is closed, otherwise you can get severe poisoning. After heat treatment, the seafood must be sorted out: if the valves remain closed, it means the shellfish is of poor quality and should be thrown away. After only the best specimens have been selected, the further preparation process can begin.

Recipe for mussels in the oven

Ingredients:

• Mussels without shell: 500 g;
• Lemon: 1/2 pcs.;
• Garlic: 2 cloves;
• Butter: 100 g;
• Cloves: 4 pcs.;
• Salt, pepper, parsley: to taste.

Preparation:

Wash seafood well in running water. Remove algae. Grease a small saucepan with oil, put mussels in it, sprinkle with chopped parsley, garlic and cloves. Season with salt, pepper, melted butter and place in an oven preheated to 200°C for 10 minutes. Place the finished mussels on a large platter and sprinkle with lemon juice. Bon appetit!

Mussels baked in the oven

Ingredients:

• Mussels in shells: 500 g;
• Soy sauce: 2-3 tbsp;
• Dry white wine: 2-3 tbsp;
• Lemon: 1/2 pcs.

Preparation:

For this recipe you will need mussels in their shells. Place the clams in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then remove and discard any seafood whose shells remain closed.

Rinse the remaining open shells and mussels in cold water, remove the algae and place in one layer on a baking sheet. Pour soy sauce and white wine into them and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes at a temperature of 180-220°C. Place seafood on a flat plate and sprinkle with lemon juice. A great romantic dinner for two is ready! Can be served with crispy garlic bread and a glass of white wine. Bon appetit!

Mussels in the oven with cheese

Ingredients:

• Mussels in shells: 200 g;
• Butter: 20 g;
• Parmesan: 100 g;
• Garlic: 2 cloves;
• Lemon: 1/2 pcs.;
• Heavy cream: 50 ml.

Preparation:

Take mussels with one shell, defrost, rinse well to remove sand and remove algae. The muscular leg that holds the meat in the shell should not be trimmed.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, add chopped garlic and carefully place the seafood with the shell down. Simmer over low heat, add cream, stir. After 10 minutes, transfer the mussels to a baking sheet, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes. To add a piquant taste, sprinkle the dish with lemon juice before serving.

Green mussels baked in the oven

Ingredients:

• Mussels in shells: 1 kg;
• Mayonnaise: 150 g;
• Mustard: 1 tsp;
• Soy sauce: 1 tsp;
• Dill: to taste.

Preparation:

You will need seafood with one flap. They must be removed from the bag, defrosted, rinsed in cold water and the stem that secures the mollusk in the shell removed. Place the mussels on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 120°C.

In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce and chopped dill (you can use dried). Remove the clams from the oven, brush with sauce and return to rest for 5 minutes. Arrange the finished mussels in a fan on a round plate, and place half a lemon or a sprig of basil in the center. This dish looks very beautiful and does not need additional decoration.

Cooking mussels in the oven

Ingredients:

• Mussels in shells: 500 g;
• Breadcrumbs: 3 tbsp;
• Cheese: 100 g;
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp;
• Garlic: 3 cloves;
• Dill, salt, pepper: to taste.

Preparation:

Wash defrosted mussels with one shell, clean from any remaining sand and algae. Place seafood in a baking dish and add salt.

Grate the cheese, combine it with breadcrumbs and chopped garlic. Add olive oil, chopped dill, mix well. Cover the mussels with the resulting mixture. Bake seafood in the oven for 10 minutes at 220°C. Serve the finished dish hot. Bon appetit!

Bake mussels at 230 degrees.

How to bake mussels

Ingredients
Mussels in half shells - 1 kilogram
Garlic - 3 cloves
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons
Lemon - half
Seasoning "Provence" - half a teaspoon
Salt - to taste

How to bake mussels
Wash the mussels, separate the meat from the shells and then return each mussel to the shell. Place shells with mussels in a baking dish. Chop the garlic, mix with oil, seasonings and squeezed lemon juice. Cover each mussel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 230 degrees. Place the baking dish with the mussels on the middle rack of the oven. Bake the mussels for 7 minutes.

Sauces for baking mussels

for 12 mussels
1. Sauce with processed cheese: processed cheese - 200 grams, cream 20% - 50 milliliters, quail egg - 1 piece, butter - 1 teaspoon, cognac - 1 tablespoon, dill - several sprigs, Parmesan cheese - for 4 tablespoons, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Garlic-lemon sauce for baked mussels: lemon juice - from a quarter of a lemon, garlic - 1 clove, butter - 1 tablespoon, dill and parsley - 4 tablespoons, salt and pepper - to taste.

3. Sour cream and saffron sauce for baking mussels: onion - half, spinach - 100 grams, saffron - half a teaspoon, butter - 50 grams, sour cream - 2 tablespoons, salt and pepper - to taste.

4. Sauce with flying fish caviar for baked mussels: curd cheese - 100 grams, flying fish caviar - 100 grams.

Have you ever cooked green mussels? No, then you have such an opportunity, because today we will tell you how to prepare very tasty, beautiful and festive mussels in their shells!

Ingredients

Step-by-step recipe for cooking Mussels in shells with photos

So, let's show a little imagination and culinary skill:

First, defrost the mussels, wash them in cool water, add salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Let the mussels sit for 20 minutes.

Then pour sour cream over the mussels, dilute it with water, you should get a mass similar to heavy cream.

Now it’s the turn of the oven, heated to 235 degrees, bake the mussels in it for 10 minutes.

After ten minutes, sprinkle the mussels with grated cheese and keep in the oven for another 5 minutes.

When the delicacy is ready, garnish the dish with chopped dill or parsley and serve, delicious and slightly cooled mussels in their shells are ready!

Video recipe: Mussels in shells

Recipe for baked mussels in shells

So, in order to cook mussels according to this recipe you will need:

Ingredients:
mussels - 1 kg;
garlic – 3 cloves;
olive oil – 5 tablespoons;
lemon juice - with 0.5 citrus;
Italian herbs – 0.5 teaspoon;
salt, black peppercorns, bay leaf.

Now let's start creating:

1. Thaw the mussels and wash them.
2. Take a saucepan, pour in water and boil it.
3. Pour salt into the boiling liquid, add pepper, bay leaf and place the mussels here, cook them for a minute.
4. Then take out the mussels and let them cool.
5. Peel the garlic and chop.
6. Take a bowl, add oil, chopped garlic, lemon juice, herbal seasoning and mix.
7. Now preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
8. Place the mussels on a baking sheet, pour each one with the resulting garlic mass and place in the oven for seven minutes. That's all, the mussels are ready, you can enjoy the incredible Mediterranean aroma and pleasant taste of this delicious dish!

Mussels are the traditional food of peoples living along the shores of the southern seas. However, this delicacy is not as popular among Russians as, say, among Europeans. However, if you know how to cook mussels deliciously, this seafood will have more supporters.

Mussels baked in the oven

Ingredients:

500 g mussels;

2 cloves of garlic;

juice of ¼ lemon;

2 tbsp. spoons of olive oil;

½ teaspoon of dried herbs (Provencal, Italian, etc.);

5 black peppercorns;

salt - to taste

3 bay leaves

How to cook mussels baked in the oven:

1. Defrost mussels in air. If the protruding bundle of fibers (the so-called beard) is not removed, remove it.
2. Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan, put a bay leaf in it, add salt, pepper, and bring to a boil. Place the shells in boiling water, let the water boil again, and cook for no more than 2 minutes.Then drain the seafood in a colander and allow excess liquid to drain.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
4. Grind the garlic in a press, mix with olive oil, a mixture of herbs and the juice of ¼ lemon.
5. Place the mussels on a baking sheet. Place butter-garlic sauce in each half - about 1/3 teaspoon. Place the baking sheet with seafood in the preheated oven and cook for 7 minutes.
6. It is better to serve the dish hot. Oven-baked mussels are ready!

Shutterstock

Ingredients:

• 300 g mussel meat;
• vegetable oil;
• 2 large onions;
• pepper, salt;
• mayonnaise

How to cook fried mussels:

1. Rinse the mussels.
2. Peel the onions, rinse, cut into small pieces, fry in vegetable oil until browned.
3. Add the shellfish to the onion, cook for another 4-5 minutes, add mayonnaise, stir, turn off the heat.
4. You can serve the fried mussels immediately or cool them to room temperature.

Mussels in wine

Ingredients:

1 kg mussels;

1 small carrot;

1 small onion;

1 tbsp. spoon of butter;

1 teaspoon white pepper;

125 g white wine

How to cook mussels in wine:

1. Rinse the mussels and soak in cold water for 1 hour. Clean each shell with a brush and remove the tendrils with a knife.
2. Peel the onions, carrots, rinse, cut into small squares with sides 3 mm.
3. Place the butter in a frying pan or saucepan with a thick bottom, place the prepared vegetables in the melted fat, and simmer them for about 4 minutes.
4. After this, put the mussels in a container, pepper them, add white wine, simmer for 6 minutes, covering with a lid. Then, holding the pan's handles and lid with your hands at the same time, shake its contents: this will help the lower mussels move to the top.
5. Cook them until all the shells open. Serve mussels cooked in wine hot with white bread.

Shellfish dishes are gaining popularity all over the world every year. The exquisite taste of mussels prepared 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. There will also be no beneficial properties.
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 - to 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 peel 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. Having achieved the desired consistency, place the mussels on a platter. 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. The main feature of creating 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

Seafood, in particular mussels, is the most valuable and healthy food, necessary for people of all ages as a source of iodine, phosphorus and special protein. However, here a problem arises - few people know how to properly cook mussels in shells and what to do with them after cooking.

Since mussels are most often sold frozen, look at the description on the packaging. If it says simply “frozen”, defrost and cook as if raw. We'll tell you how to cook mussels in shells.

Ingredients:

• large fresh or defrosted mussels – 15-20 pcs.;
• filtered or bottled water – 1 glass;
• cold-pressed oil, optional olive or sunflower oil – 1/3 cup;
• garlic – 2-3 cloves (optional ingredient).

Preparation

To cook mussels, you will need a thick-walled saucepan or stewpan; you can also use a frying pan with high sides and a thick bottom, but without Teflon. Add water and oil. Do not stir - during the heating process the liquids will combine. Add finely chopped garlic to the boiling liquid and immediately add the mussels. Regardless of whether you are preparing fresh or defrosted shellfish, rinse the mussels thoroughly - a lot of dirt, sand and algae residues accumulate in the shells. We put the washed mussels in a colander, and then immediately send them to cook. Cover our container with a lid and shake vigorously every 2 minutes. If the mussels are cooked, the cooking time is 4 minutes, for raw and defrosted - 10 minutes. After this, we choose how to further prepare the mussels in their shells; the cooking recipe may include frying, baking, stewing, or adding to salads.

Ingredients:

• thawed large mussels – 15-18 pcs.;
• hard “Dutch” or “Russian” cheese – 120-140 g;
• medium fat or thick, non-watery sour cream - 100 g;
• lemon – ¼ piece;
• garlic – 2 small cloves (optional).

Preparation

If you don’t know the best way to cook frozen mussels in shells, use this recipe. It's simple, fast, inexpensive and very tasty. Let's defrost the mussels and let the moisture drain, after which we separate the body of the mollusk from the shell, and peel off the remaining dense leg with a spoon and throw it away - you shouldn't eat it. Cut the mussel bodies into several parts - not small. Three cheeses on the finest grater available. In a bowl, mix cheese, mussels, crushed garlic and sour cream or mayonnaise. Place the resulting mass into shells and bake in the oven or grill for 10 minutes. As you might guess, you can cook fresh mussels in shells in the same way, only we first cook them and open them.

We have already told you how to cook mussels in shells, and you can stew peeled shellfish in an incredibly tasty way in a frying pan. However, you can also stew it with shells, removing them when eating.

Ingredients:

• peeled clams - 2 large handfuls;
• shallots – 2 handfuls;
• ripe tomatoes, with dense pulp – 3 pcs.;
• sweet green pepper – 1 pod;
• , preferably cold pressed – 3 tbsp. spoons;
• oregano – 1 pinch dried or 1 sprig fresh.

Preparation

We clean and finely chop the onions, cut the pepper into several parts, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the skin and grate them or turn them into puree using a blender. Heat the oil well, quickly fry the onion and pepper over high heat, add tomato puree and reduce the heat. Evaporate the liquid by about half, then add the mussels. If they are fresh, there is no need to cook them. If frozen, defrost and plunge into boiling water for a couple of minutes to eliminate the presence of bacteria. Simmer the mussels covered for 5 minutes, then add the oregano. If desired, you can pour in a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, or squeeze out a clove of garlic. Traditionally, these mussels are served sprinkled with finely chopped feta. This dish can also be served in shells. As you can see, preparing mussels in shells deliciously is not so difficult.

An exquisite appetizer, baked mussels, is often served in prestigious restaurants with beer or white wine. However, this dish can be easily prepared by yourself, spending very little time. In addition, it looks impressive on the festive table, attracting the attention of dear guests.

Healthy shellfish delicacy

Many housewives, wanting to diversify their family's diet, prepare various delicacies. They buy frozen mussels in supermarkets, which make excellent snacks. Most often, shellfish are sold directly in their shells, so the dish looks very beautiful and does not need advertising. There are many recipes for how to cook mussels baked in the oven in your home kitchen. Let's look at some of them.

Clams in butter sauce

For an exquisite delicacy you will need the following components:

• mussels (up to 12 pieces);
• butter (half a stick);
• olive oil (3 tablespoons);
• hard cheese (50 g);
• garlic (3 small cloves);
• lemon;
• thyme;
• white pepper;
• salt.

A sprig of thyme gives shellfish a unique smell that evokes appetite and pleasant sensations.

Steps for making baked mussels with your own hands:

1. Place frozen clams on a plate to allow them to thaw completely.
   
2. Using a sharp knife, separate the mussel meat from the shell. It is then carefully washed to remove any remaining dirt, algae and sand. After this, the shells are laid out on a towel or napkin, where they should dry completely.
   
3. In a small container, mix olive oil and butter to obtain a homogeneous mass.
   
4. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon, finely chop the parsley and pass the garlic through a press.
   
5. The prepared ingredients are added to the oil mixture, then salt and pepper. Add chopped thyme for flavor. Mix well.
   
6. The oven is heated to a temperature of 180° C. Shells are placed on a baking sheet and carefully filled with meat. Place a teaspoon of butter sauce on top of each clam.
   
7. Sprinkle the entire surface of the mussels with pre-grated cheese, and then place the pieces in the oven for 8 minutes.
   

Baked mussels in butter sauce are served with boiled rice and fresh vegetables.

To prevent shellfish meat from looking like rubber, cooks advise not to keep it in the oven for longer than the prescribed time.

Awesome addition - hard cheese

A gourmet snack, no worse than in a restaurant, is prepared from a simple set of products:

• two dozen frozen mussels;
• semi-hard cheese (“Tilsiter”);
• "Parmesan" (100 g);
• bulb;
• medium sized lemon;
• black pepper (4 peas);
• laurel;
• salt.

To create excellent mussels baked with cheese with your own hands, follow several simple processes:

1. Thawed clams are washed thoroughly under running water.
   
2. Place a pan of water on the fire. Throw a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, an onion, and salt into it. Boil for 5 minutes.
   
3. The mussels are dipped into the hot liquid. After boiling, cook for no more than 3 minutes.
   
4. Semi-hard Tilsiter cheese is cut into small cubes. Parmesan is cut into strips. Some of the cheese is left for sprinkling.
   
5. Drain the mussels and leave to cool. Then they are placed on a baking sheet and pieces of cheese are placed in each shell. Sprinkle lemon juice on top.
   
6. Place a baking sheet with shellfish in a preheated oven at 200°C. As soon as the cheese begins to melt, remove it immediately.
   
7. Sprinkle the pieces with Parmesan cheese and put them back into the oven to form a golden brown crust.
   
   

According to this recipe, baked mussels with cheese are served hot.

To ensure that the clams lie flat on the baking dish, you can place a few toothpicks around them.

Amazing snack in miniature boats

Fans of exotic dishes can surprise their friends with an overseas delicacy. Baked mussels in their shells resemble small boats with a delicious filling. They fit wonderfully into a holiday meal and will leave even the most uncompromising gourmets satisfied.
And for the dish you only need a few ingredients:

Stunning boats are placed on beautiful dishes and served to guests.

Video recipe for oven-baked mussels