How you prepare your frozen mussels may depend on whether your frozen mussels come with or without their shell. You’re in the mood for mussels, but if the fresh mussels in the seafood section of your grocery store look less than ideal, then you may how to cook mussels in boiling water to head over to the frozen food section. How you prepare your frozen mussels may depend on whether they come with or without their shells. Mussels are mollusks, similar to oysters, and are comprised of two hinged shells with a soft inner body.
They’re often found attached to the seawall, gravel or rocks found near the coastline. These mollusks are filter feeders and take in water through their shells to get the nutrients they need as well as to clean the water. Like other types of seafood, mussels are low in calories and fat, a good source of protein and rich in many vital nutrients your body needs for good health. Though mussels are a nutritional powerhouse, they can also be a source of pathogens that can make you sick. When cooking frozen mussels, preparation may depend on whether the mussels were frozen with or without the shells. Due to safety concerns, frozen mussels should always be cooked prior to freezing. To get the best results, follow the directions on the package of the frozen mussels.
If your frozen mussels are still in the shell, you can steam them in a pot filled with one inch of water, wine or broth for five to seven minutes or until the mussel shells have opened. With shelled mussels, remove the beard — the membrane in the mussels that holds sand and grit — before serving. You can remove the beard with your fingers or a knife. Frozen mussels no longer in the shell may not require as much work as those still in the shell. These frozen mussels have already been cooked and cleaned, and you may not need to cook them at all. You can use frozen mussel meat in any of your usual mussel recipes.
These shellfish are very flavorful and work well with pasta dishes. You can also steam the frozen mussels in the shell with the sauce to add some of the briny flavor. For a simple mussel pasta dish, saute oil and garlic in a pan over medium-high heat until the garlic has browned, then add your mussel meat to the pan and continue cooking until the meat has warmed through. Toss the mussel garlic sauce with cooked pasta. You can also use frozen mussel meat to make stuffed mussels. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “Is Raw Seafood Safe to Eat?
I am always surprised to see people eating cucumbers raw! We Chinese almost never eat them like this. If they are not pickled then they must be cooked. We prefer them when they are in season, young, tender and bursting with juice.
This is a simple stir-fried cucumber dish from western China. Once the ingredients are assembled, it is very quick to cook. The chilli and garlic contrast well with the cool, crisp cucumber. Peel the cucumbers, slice them in half lengthways and, using a teaspoon, remove the seeds. Then cut the cucumber halves into 2.
Sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons of salt and mix well, then put into a colander and leave for about 20 minutes to drain. This rids the cucumber of any excess liquid. When the cucumber cubes have drained, rinse them in water and blot them dry with kitchen paper. Heat a wok or a large frying pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic, black beans, ginger and spring onions and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. I was introduced to this dish one evening when I dined with Madhur Jaffrey and her husband at the Shun Lee Palace restaurant in New York. She suggested it to me, predicting that I would appreciate the imaginative interplay of pungent aromas and spicy flavours.