Many, after a holiday at the seaside resort, bring all kinds of shells home. Among them are often found and mussel sash.
Along with oysters, squid, scallops, mussel is a marine delicacy, and very useful.
Especially this seafood product is recommended for men, because it is rich in zinc, which is responsible for reproductive function. Therefore, each woman should take care of the health of her man, because it affects the family well-being, and buy mussels more often to cook different dishes from them.
But many, seeing live mussels only on TV, hardly understand in what form they should go to the market. After all, they need to be used as food while they are alive.
How to choose mussels correctly
- If mussels are sold in sash, you need to pay attention to their appearance. In live mussels sash tightly compressed. Only sometimes they can be slightly ajar. But if you just hit the sink a little, the mussel will shut the sash in an instant.
- The surface of the sink should be shiny, and most importantly, without cracks and chips.
- If the sash is open, the mussel is probably dead. Such a product can not be eaten. Although sometimes dead mussel can be in a closed shell, if, for example, the sash clogged with dirt.
- Some check the condition of the mussel by shaking the shell. If it contains a living mollusk, no strumming will be heard. True, this method is very dubious.
- But sniffing mussels is not forbidden. Live clams smell like freshness and sea. If an unpleasant smell emanates from them, then such a purchase must be abandoned.
- Both small and large mussels are suitable for food. But you need to know that in large mussels also more meat.
How to store mussels
Mussels are used as food on the day of purchase, as they are completely unsuitable for storage. Therefore, only in exceptional cases, their preparation can be postponed until the next day.
Although some believe that mussels remain alive for another 2-3 days, but it is better not to risk one’s health by mistaking spoiled seafood by mistake.
Method 1
To save the mussels for 1-2 days, they are placed in a container with ice so that they are buried in it. But at the same time it is necessary to ensure that they are not in contact with water, which will drain from the ice that begins to melt.
Method 2
Mussels can be stored in very cold water. But then they put a small load on them, which will not allow them to open up, but at the same time they will not crush them.
The next day, mussels are necessarily boiled or fried, having previously checked again each of them for suitability.
Method 3
Some housewives store mussels, laid out on a tray and covered with a wet towel. Tray clean in the fridge. However, with this storage, many mussels disappear. But if each is wrapped in a damp cotton napkin and stored in this form until the next day, the losses will be minimal.
Purified mussels are sold and frozen. They are packaged in vacuum packaging. The shelf life of seafood is indicated on the packaging itself. Before opening such mussels are stored in the freezer. And after defrosting, they can not be re-frozen.
