5 things you didn’t know about mussels
What you did know: mussels are delicious, incredibly quick to prepare, and quintessentially Zeeland. But these five facts—or should we say: persistent misconceptions about mussels—are probably new to you.
Even people who can’t cook can still prepare mussels. Rinse them, put them in a pan with a generous splash of wine or beer and some vegetables, bring them to the boil twice, toss everything together, and serve. Really that easy? Yes, really that easy. And for the curious among you, we’ve found five surprising facts about mussels.
#1 Mussels that stay open must be thrown away immediately
When you take the mussels out of the plastic container you bought them in, it’s best to sort them carefully right away. Cracked shell? Throw the mussel away. And mussels that stay open should also be discarded. Or should they? Flemish journalist Eva Kestemont knows better. ‘Hold the open mussel with the convex side under the cold tap and tap the shell at the same time. After a few minutes, the shell will close.’ Aha, the mussel just needed to wake up. Does the mussel remain wide open? Then you should throw it away after all.
#2 Mussels contain a lot of cholesterol
Whoa there, aren’t mussels really healthy? Still, some people claim that mussels raise your cholesterol levels. Not true, says Eva. Mussels contain unsaturated fatty acids that actually lower your cholesterol. So they’re incredibly healthy—and that’s without even mentioning the minerals and vitamins, or the fact that mussels contain almost no fat.
#3 Only when there’s an ‘r’ in the month
Grandma said it: only eat mussels when there’s an ‘r’ in the month, and definitely don’t order a pan of mussels in summer. But that’s old-fashioned. The rule made perfect sense back when refrigerated transport was still primitive, but these days mussels are transported chilled to every corner of the world, including the restaurant and fishmonger around the corner from you. No mussels are sold in May, June, and July because the shellfish are busy with something more important: reproduction. No worries, because plenty of mussels are imported from Ireland and Denmark.
#4 Orange mussels taste the best
Is that chauvinism? Orange mussels are supposedly much tastier than white ones. Taste them and you’ll know: nonsense. They taste exactly the same. The color comes from the difference in pigment in the mussels, and one mussel simply isn’t the same as another. Don’t discriminate—just eat them all.
#5 Mussels that stay closed should also be thrown away
Mussels that remain tightly closed after cooking can simply be eaten. Pry them open with your knife and take a bite. They’re often especially plump, says Eva. ‘The reason they stay closed has nothing to do with whether they’re edible, but with a strongly developed adductor muscle.’ Do open them carefully, though, because sometimes they’re sand mussels that have stuffed themselves completely full of sand.
Read also:
- Sergio Herman opens a mussel restaurant in Zeebrugge
- Recipe: deep-fried Zeeland mussels by Bart van Olphen
- A must-go for oyster lovers: De Oesterij in Yerseke
Source: Knack.be
