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| Mussels Laska |
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| Where a taste of Asia meets the Atlantic. Two continents worth of flavors in one easy dish! |
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 Mussels Primer
Storing and Handling
So you've brought fresh blue mussels home and you're wondering how to keep them that way? Well, that's nothing a little TLC can't handle.
Fresh mussels are a live product, so there's a way to keep them fresh and happy. Simply tuck them away in your refrigerator, in a bowl over ice, covered with a damp cloth. The only maintenance required is to drain the melted liquid daily — you don't want to drown them! With proper care and handling fresh mussels will last for days.
Checking for freshness is as simple as a quick sniff. Fresh mussels should smell like the ocean, not fishy. When you are ready to use them, place them in a colander and rinse under running water. Set aside. If any mussels remain open, firmly tap them, and discard any that do not close in response to the tap. It's as easy as that. Sniff and tap. Don't forget to discard any mussels with broken and chipped shells. |
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| Mussels 101 |
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| Sustainability |
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| Sustainable seafood is more than the latest buzz word. It is a promise that you can feel good about what you're feeding your family, and, be assured your children's' children will be able to do the same. |
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| Unfortunately, much of the world's seafood is either overfished or harvested at an environmental cost. This is not the case with blue mussels farmed from Atlantic Canada. Our cultured mussels are grown to market demand, not by quota. Both the mussel seed and nutrients to feed them are native to our pristine coastal waters, and nothing is added to the natural eco-system during the farming process. There is zero dredging or disruption to the ocean floor involved. In fact, mussel farming has been endorsed by environmental groups such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, Audubon, SeaChoice, Oceanwise, and Eco-Fish. Please visit our section on sustainability to learn more about our responsible farming practices. |
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| Mussel Laska |
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Source: Chef Lindsay Cameron Wilson
Number of Servings: 3
Preparation Time: 10mins
Cooking Time: 5mins |
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| Ingredients |
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• 2 1⁄2 lbs fresh blue cultured mussels
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp red curry paste try Indian
madras or Thai red curry
• 1 can coconut milk (1 ½ cups)
• ½ cup clam juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp brown sugar |
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• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles, steamed, drained and set aside
• fresh mint leaves, or cilantro, or both
• bean sprouts - optional
• large red chili, sliced |
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| Instructions |
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| 1. |
Stir mussels in a colander while rinsing under tap water. Tap any mussels that are open. Discard those that don't close in response to tap. |
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| 2. |
Heat oil and curry paste in a large pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, clam juice, fish sauce, lime juice, zest and brown sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Add mussels and cover. Leave to steam for 3-5 minutes, until mussels open. Discard any mussels that do not open. |
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| 3. |
To serve, divide cooked rice noodles, bean sprouts and mint (or cilantro, or both) between 4 bowls. Top with mussels and Laska liquid. Garnish with chopped chili. |
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| Arriba Mussels |
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Source: Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Number of Servings: 5mins
Preparation Time: 10mins |
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| Ingredients |
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• 2 1⁄2 lbs fresh blue cultured mussels
• 1⁄4 cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp black pepper, cracked
• 1 tsp roasted whole coriander, crushed
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup salsa
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped |
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| Instructions |
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| 1. |
Stir mussels in a colander while rinsing under tap water. Tap any mussels that are open. Discard those that don't close in response to tap. |
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Place shallots in a large wide saucepan with lime juice, pepper, coriander and butter. Bring to quick simmer over medium to high heat (about 1 minute). |
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Add fresh blue mussels. Pour wine and salsa on top. Cover, reduce heat to low and steam mussels just until cooked. Discard any mussels that do not open. |
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Arrange in a large bowl. Add fresh cilantro to broth, add sprinkle of sea salt if necessary, pour broth over mussels and serve. |
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| get more great mussel recipes ... |
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| Entertain the thought |
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| Choosing wine for your dinner party |
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| Red or white? Old world or new world? A bold Italian Cabernet or a fruit-forward Californian? When it comes to wine there are choices. Too many. Luckily there are no hard rules. Instead consider what your guests will enjoy and your budget will allow. The truth is, with the wines produced these days, there's no need to break the bank to impress anyone. The wine can do that all by itself! |
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| Things get a little trickier when pairing wine with food, because you want to create harmony with the food you are serving. As with any relationship, it's about fit, and one partner not under- or overwhelming the other. Most of us grew up on the conventional wisdom that white wine goes with fish and chicken. A more modern approach is to pair fish and white meats (like mussels!) with wines that contain an acidic flavor. Lighter-bodied reds such as a Pinot Noir or Sangiovese can be an inspired match. How the food is prepared can also help you play matchmaker. For example, grilled seafood can stand up to a much more intense flavor, like a Shiraz, than a fish cooked in cream sauce, where it's best to go with the Pinot Noir (red) or Pinot Grigio (white). |
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| Win a |
| mussel pot! |
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4-ward this newsletter to 4 friends
and enter for a chance to win... |
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| CLICK HERE TO ENTER |
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| Tasty tips |
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| Are your appliances running as efficiently as possible? When was the last time you checked their temperatures? Have them open up and say, Ah! To minimize wasted food and energy your refrigerator should be between 35-38oF (2-3oC) and your freezer should be 0oF (-18oC). |
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©2011 Mussel Industry Council |
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