Post by Admin on Sept 10, 2018 3:28:16 GMT
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California mussels (Mytilus californianus) and Blue mussels
(Mytilus edulis) are the species of mussel common to the rocky areas of the Oregon shore
Mussels are Oregon’s most versatile shellfish. Surprisingly, California mussels live up to fifty years. The mussel beds are exposed during a minus tide. The pale colored flesh of mussels easily distinguishes them from the darker females. Use a screwdriver to pry the mussels off of the rocks. Wear gloves to prevent cutting your fingers on the sharp edges of the mussel’s shell. Never consume mussels taken from the Jetties, docks or pilings inside of Oregon’s Bays.
Oregon’s mussels have been a source of food for mankind for 10,000 years as mussels were a food staple of Native Americans along the Pacific Coast. Today mussels are gathered as a gastronomical delight enjoyed in a variety of dishes. The smaller mussels are used in mussel’s marinara. Mussels marinated in oil and red wine vinegar and served with homemade salsa are used as appetizers. Mussels steamed in wine are another family favorite. Mussels are a welcome addition to chowder or bouillabaisse and make a wonderful mussel stew. The larger mussels served fried with a garlic/lemon cream sauce or in mussel spaghetti served with marinara sauce are other entrees your family will love. Steamed mussels on the beach are at the top of the menu when our family goes camping at the beach.
OREGON’S STEAMED MUSSELS
On the beach place a limit of mussels in a large stock pot containing about 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook the mussels tightly covered until shells open in 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Serve immediately by dipping the mussels in butter melted with minced garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice. For a different taste steam the mussels in white wine, beer, or clam juice. Serve with corn on the cob, a Caesar salad and lots of crusty French or Italian baguettes. Steamed Mussels and Mussels in Marinara sauce are easily prepared at home using a limit of 72 mussels. Mussels are usually consumed the day they are gathered on the beach or taken home and prepared in a variety of dishes that will please the palate with very bite. Steamed mussels served as a main dish will satisfy the hunger of two adults or six adults when served as appetizers.
Ingredients:
72 mussels approximately 1 1/2 to 3 inches in length.
6 garlic cloves minced.
4 leeks the white section coarsely chopped.
1/4 cup of olive oil 2 2 carrots coarsely chopped and 4 celery stocks coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of white pepper and 1 teaspoon of red chili flecks
4 sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 bay leaves
1/2 bottle of white wine
16 ounces of no clams added clam juice
28 ounce can of diced Italian tomatoes
1 lemon and 1 stick of butter
Preparation:
1. To prepare mussels at home allow the mussels to pump themselves free of organic matter by soaking them in a solution of 11/3 cup of rock salt mixed with 4 gallons of cold chlorine free freshwater for a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Before steaming the mussels clean the outer shells by scrubbing them with a stiff bristle brush. Rinse the mussels thoroughly with cold water. Leave the bissus threads (the mussel’s beard) on the mussels. Once the mussels are steamed the bissus threads make a great handle to hold while removing the mussel from the shell and dipping it into the melted garlic butter sauce. The mussels are ready for steaming.
3. Coarsely chop the white section from 4 leeks.
4. Combine the leeks with 1/4 cup of olive oil in a stock pot. Sauté the minced chopped leeks in 1/4 cup of olive oil until the leeks are nearly cooked through.
5. Add 4 minced garlic cloves to the leaks and finish sautéing.
6. Coarsely chop 2 carrots and 4 celery sticks.
7. Combine the chopped carrots and celery with the garlic and leeks in the stock pot. Add a teaspoon of white pepper, a teaspoon of red chili flecks, 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and ½ the contents from a bottle of white wine or 16 ounces of no clams added clam juice to the stock pot. Cook over medium high heat bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Add the mussels to the stock pot increasing to high heat until the mixture returns to a boil. Cover with the lid and steam the mussels stirring occasionally with a large spoon until the mussels’ pop open in about 7 minutes. Drain the contents of the stock pot through a colander pouring the mussel broth into a large sauce pan. Remove the mussels from the colander and place them into two large serving bowls. Discard the carrots, leeks, spice and any unopened mussels.
9. Melt 1 stick of butter in a sauce pan. Add two cloves of minced garlic to the sauce pan. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon into the sauce pan. Heat and serve with mussels.
10. Add the contents from one 28 ounce can of diced Italian tomatoes to the stock pot. Return the mussel broth to the stock pot straining the liquid through cheese cloth.
11. Boil the mixture of mussel broth and diced tomatoes until it is reduced by 1/2 in about 20 minutes.
12. Pour the mussel tomato broth into the serving bowls covering the mussels. Serve with corn on the cob, a Caesar salad and lots of crusty French or Italian baguettes. Dip the crusty baguettes in the mussel broth. Use a fork or a spoon to remove mussel shell from the hot liquid in the serving bowl. Grasp the mussel by the bissus threads pulling it out of the shell. Dip the mussel into butter melted with minced garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Follow with a piece of bread dipped into the mussel tomato broth. Discard the mussel’s shell and the bissus threads.
OREGON’S MUSSELS IN MARINARA SAUCE
Mussels in Marinara sauce are a great way to enjoy mussels served as an appetizer or as a main course over your favorite pasta. The dish is prepared using the same recipe as for steamed mussels; except, after emptying the mussels from the stock pot into the colander, remove the mussels from their shells using the byssus threads to pull the mussels from their shells. Pull the bissus threads away from the mussels discarding them. Set the mussels aside and prepare the mussel tomato base Marinara sauce as described in steaming mussels. Heat the Marinara sauce bringing it to a boil. Place the desired number of mussels into to a shallow serving dish. Spoon the piping hot Marinara sauce over the mussels. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Mussel spaghetti is a great taste treat. Serve Mussels in Marinara sauce over your favorite pasta. Cook your favorite according to the directions on the box. Drain the pasta and add the mussels to the pasta mixing thoroughly and for a real taste treat add some clams and shrimp to the dish. Pour the desired amount of Marinara sauce onto the pasta and serve with fresh grated parmesan.
The versatility of mussels is only limited by our imagination. No matter how they are prepared mussels are delicious except when eaten raw. Raw mussels taste deliciously sweet but leave a horrible bitter aftertaste that lasts for several hours. Mussels will keep up to 5 days when refrigerated in a container covered with damp cloths.
California mussels (Mytilus californianus) and Blue mussels
(Mytilus edulis) are the species of mussel common to the rocky areas of the Oregon shore
Mussels are Oregon’s most versatile shellfish. Surprisingly, California mussels live up to fifty years. The mussel beds are exposed during a minus tide. The pale colored flesh of mussels easily distinguishes them from the darker females. Use a screwdriver to pry the mussels off of the rocks. Wear gloves to prevent cutting your fingers on the sharp edges of the mussel’s shell. Never consume mussels taken from the Jetties, docks or pilings inside of Oregon’s Bays.
Oregon’s mussels have been a source of food for mankind for 10,000 years as mussels were a food staple of Native Americans along the Pacific Coast. Today mussels are gathered as a gastronomical delight enjoyed in a variety of dishes. The smaller mussels are used in mussel’s marinara. Mussels marinated in oil and red wine vinegar and served with homemade salsa are used as appetizers. Mussels steamed in wine are another family favorite. Mussels are a welcome addition to chowder or bouillabaisse and make a wonderful mussel stew. The larger mussels served fried with a garlic/lemon cream sauce or in mussel spaghetti served with marinara sauce are other entrees your family will love. Steamed mussels on the beach are at the top of the menu when our family goes camping at the beach.
OREGON’S STEAMED MUSSELS
On the beach place a limit of mussels in a large stock pot containing about 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook the mussels tightly covered until shells open in 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Serve immediately by dipping the mussels in butter melted with minced garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice. For a different taste steam the mussels in white wine, beer, or clam juice. Serve with corn on the cob, a Caesar salad and lots of crusty French or Italian baguettes. Steamed Mussels and Mussels in Marinara sauce are easily prepared at home using a limit of 72 mussels. Mussels are usually consumed the day they are gathered on the beach or taken home and prepared in a variety of dishes that will please the palate with very bite. Steamed mussels served as a main dish will satisfy the hunger of two adults or six adults when served as appetizers.
Ingredients:
72 mussels approximately 1 1/2 to 3 inches in length.
6 garlic cloves minced.
4 leeks the white section coarsely chopped.
1/4 cup of olive oil 2 2 carrots coarsely chopped and 4 celery stocks coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of white pepper and 1 teaspoon of red chili flecks
4 sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 bay leaves
1/2 bottle of white wine
16 ounces of no clams added clam juice
28 ounce can of diced Italian tomatoes
1 lemon and 1 stick of butter
Preparation:
1. To prepare mussels at home allow the mussels to pump themselves free of organic matter by soaking them in a solution of 11/3 cup of rock salt mixed with 4 gallons of cold chlorine free freshwater for a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Before steaming the mussels clean the outer shells by scrubbing them with a stiff bristle brush. Rinse the mussels thoroughly with cold water. Leave the bissus threads (the mussel’s beard) on the mussels. Once the mussels are steamed the bissus threads make a great handle to hold while removing the mussel from the shell and dipping it into the melted garlic butter sauce. The mussels are ready for steaming.
3. Coarsely chop the white section from 4 leeks.
4. Combine the leeks with 1/4 cup of olive oil in a stock pot. Sauté the minced chopped leeks in 1/4 cup of olive oil until the leeks are nearly cooked through.
5. Add 4 minced garlic cloves to the leaks and finish sautéing.
6. Coarsely chop 2 carrots and 4 celery sticks.
7. Combine the chopped carrots and celery with the garlic and leeks in the stock pot. Add a teaspoon of white pepper, a teaspoon of red chili flecks, 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and ½ the contents from a bottle of white wine or 16 ounces of no clams added clam juice to the stock pot. Cook over medium high heat bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Add the mussels to the stock pot increasing to high heat until the mixture returns to a boil. Cover with the lid and steam the mussels stirring occasionally with a large spoon until the mussels’ pop open in about 7 minutes. Drain the contents of the stock pot through a colander pouring the mussel broth into a large sauce pan. Remove the mussels from the colander and place them into two large serving bowls. Discard the carrots, leeks, spice and any unopened mussels.
9. Melt 1 stick of butter in a sauce pan. Add two cloves of minced garlic to the sauce pan. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon into the sauce pan. Heat and serve with mussels.
10. Add the contents from one 28 ounce can of diced Italian tomatoes to the stock pot. Return the mussel broth to the stock pot straining the liquid through cheese cloth.
11. Boil the mixture of mussel broth and diced tomatoes until it is reduced by 1/2 in about 20 minutes.
12. Pour the mussel tomato broth into the serving bowls covering the mussels. Serve with corn on the cob, a Caesar salad and lots of crusty French or Italian baguettes. Dip the crusty baguettes in the mussel broth. Use a fork or a spoon to remove mussel shell from the hot liquid in the serving bowl. Grasp the mussel by the bissus threads pulling it out of the shell. Dip the mussel into butter melted with minced garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Follow with a piece of bread dipped into the mussel tomato broth. Discard the mussel’s shell and the bissus threads.
OREGON’S MUSSELS IN MARINARA SAUCE
Mussels in Marinara sauce are a great way to enjoy mussels served as an appetizer or as a main course over your favorite pasta. The dish is prepared using the same recipe as for steamed mussels; except, after emptying the mussels from the stock pot into the colander, remove the mussels from their shells using the byssus threads to pull the mussels from their shells. Pull the bissus threads away from the mussels discarding them. Set the mussels aside and prepare the mussel tomato base Marinara sauce as described in steaming mussels. Heat the Marinara sauce bringing it to a boil. Place the desired number of mussels into to a shallow serving dish. Spoon the piping hot Marinara sauce over the mussels. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Mussel spaghetti is a great taste treat. Serve Mussels in Marinara sauce over your favorite pasta. Cook your favorite according to the directions on the box. Drain the pasta and add the mussels to the pasta mixing thoroughly and for a real taste treat add some clams and shrimp to the dish. Pour the desired amount of Marinara sauce onto the pasta and serve with fresh grated parmesan.
The versatility of mussels is only limited by our imagination. No matter how they are prepared mussels are delicious except when eaten raw. Raw mussels taste deliciously sweet but leave a horrible bitter aftertaste that lasts for several hours. Mussels will keep up to 5 days when refrigerated in a container covered with damp cloths.