Our mussels are from NZ and they are simple to cook for a delicious pasta meal. Nicely packed in a 907g (2lb) box, they are packed and frozen at the source and which will keep all the flavours and sweetness intact.
One of the nutritional benefits of eating mussels is increased protein intake. Proteins help maintain the function of every cell in your body -- some proteins provide structural support to maintain the shape of your cells, some drive metabolic reactions required to generate useable energy and others allow for cellular communication to ensure that each of your cells works together to maintain your overall health. Mussels also offer health benefits due to their selenium content. Selenium, an essential mineral, helps support protein function. Eat mussels to increase your intake of vitamin A. Adequate vitamin A intake nourishes your eyes, skin and immune system, and aids in the production of new red blood cells.
The simplest ways to prepare mussels is by steaming or boiling -- these cooking methods allow you to easily monitor the cooking progress to avoid overcooking and also offer a reduced-fat cooking option since they do not call for the addition of oil. Season your mussels with a splash of white wine and fresh herbs for consumption on their own, or add cooked mussels to pasta dishes, casseroles or salads.
Cooking Method:
Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 1kg mussels, in shells
- small glass white wine
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- chopped parsley, to serve
- Tip the mussels into the sink or a large bowl of cold water. Swish them around with your hands to wash them thoroughly. Use a small sharp knife to scrape off any barnacles attached to the shells. Discard any mussels with broken shells.
- Pull off the beards using the knife to help you – they just need a good tug. The beard is the brown wispy bit hanging out of the join in the shells. Not all mussels will have beards.
- If any mussels are open, tap them sharply against the side of the sink, worktop or with a knife. If they don’t close, discard them – they are dead and not edible.
- Rinse the mussels again in fresh cold water to remove any bits of shell or barnacle, and drain in a colander. Tip the mussels into a large pan, then add the wine and chopped shallot. The pan should not be more than half full – the mussels need plenty of space to move around so that they cook thoroughly.
- Set the pan over a high heat and cover tightly with a lid. When the pan starts to steam, cook the mussels for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan from time to time to ensure they cook evenly. They are cooked when the shells have opened. Mussels that have not opened are fine to eat if they can be easily opened.
- Remove the pan from the heat to stop the mussels cooking any further. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, then spoon them into warmed bowls and pour over the pan juices.