With the wind and wether keeping our local boats off the water, we are super happy to celebrate sustainable aquaculture this week with Mediterranean mussels. These beauties are a special treat from the crisp waters of Totten Inlet, Washington. Approx 2.5lbs per order.
Steam these beauties in beer or wine and inhale the intoxicating scent of the sea! Check out the Fishwife's mussel recipes and be sure to send us photos of your culinary creation.
INFO PAGE: Click for more info!
BRING A BAG! Store in the fridge with a damp towel but do not submerge in water. Discard any shells that don't close when you tap them, or remain closed after cooking.
Preparation (be sure to read this)
Most of you guys will be familiar with mussels but in case you are not, here are some things you need to be aware of:
Mussels open up when they die. If any of your mussels are open before you cook them, tap them a few times: if they close up, they are still alive. If they do not close up they are dead and should be discarded.
As far as cooking mussels goes, nature provided mussels with a built in timer for boiling or steaming. Pour about a cup of beer, wine, or water, in a nice big pot and add your mussels. Cover with a nice tight lid and steam, shaking occasionally. When the mussels open up (even a little bit) they're done. Those mussels that do not open up should be discarded. Or check the Fishwife's recipe for a more fun version, but the principle is the same.
Rinse them well before cooking. And remove the beards! The mussels' beards are the bryssal fibers that connect them to the structure that they grow on. Pull these fibers off before you cook them.
ORIGIN: from the crisp waters of Totten Inlet, Washington
METHOD: Aquaculture
RECIPES: Easy steamed mussels with wine, Drunken Mussels with Fennel & Lemon, Coconut mussels, Seafood chowder with leeks, spicy thai mussels, Summer cioppino
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