Flavor description
Archaelogists say humans have eaten these bivalve mollusks for at least 200,000 years. Consisting of a thin shell held together by a muscle, the meat is tougher than oysters or clams, but has a subtle sweet flavor. They once were sold wild and they had to be scrubbed, purged with fresh water, and debearded. Today, most mussels on the market come with these chores already done.
How to use
Before you start cooking, discard any mussels with broken shells or shells that won’t close. Do the same with any that don’t open after they’ve been cooked.
How to find
Cleaned and debearded mussels are sold in 2-pound bags and yield about two 3 1/2-ounce portions. Check the seafood department at your local supermarket.
Substitutes
Oysters or soft-shelled clams
Related Recipes
Provençale Shellfish Stew
Traditional Spanish Paella
Linguine with Mussels
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