What is the difference between mussels and oysters: photo and taste. Roast mussels

On the menu of many restaurants and at various events you can often find such exotic seafood as mussels, oysters, snails and other shellfish, so it is important to know and understand how to eat them correctly according to the rules table etiquette, which is what we’ll talk about in this article.

Mussels

The simplest case is if the mussels are served already peeled and on cocktail sticks, take the stick in your hands and direct the mussels into your mouth.

If you ordered mussel marinir, mussels in broth, then you will need special tongs and an oyster fork. We pinch the mussels with tongs in our left hand, and take out the tender meat with a fork. We roll the meat very carefully in order to separate it from the leg without splattering everything around. But very often in restaurants, only a table fork and a spoon are served with mussels in broth. In this case, you need to hold the sink directly with your left hand, and use a fork in your right hand to remove the meat.

In less official setting you can simply bring the mussel shell to your mouth and quietly inhale the juice and meat without slurping. Places the remaining shells on a separately served plate. The remaining broth can be drunk with a tablespoon or soaked in it with bread pricked on a fork.

After serving mussels, be sure to rinse your hands in the bowl with warm water or wipe with a wet napkin/towel (depending on what is served).

A light white wine at room temperature goes best with mussels.

Clams and Oysters

Oysters are served in an open shell on a mound of crushed ice. This keeps these seafood fresh for about 30 minutes, enough time to finish your meal. Oysters are served in several ways.

Perhaps we’ll start with the most exotic, raw shellfish or oysters. Usually you just water lemon juice or vinegar with additives, pouring it directly into the sink. If the oyster is fresh, it should shrink a little after adding lemon juice. Then we take a fork and cut the leg, after that we add the sauce or dip the oyster in it and put it into the mouth with a fork. In more informal settings, oysters are eaten by simply popping them into the mouth and drinking the juice from the shell, which is best avoided at dinner parties.

Never cut the meat of a raw oyster or shellfish.

Besides lemon and various sauces raw shellfish can be served with oyster crackers and horseradish. Oyster crackers are added to the personally served sauce, having previously crumbled them over a gravy boat, and horseradish can be added both to the sauce and to the shellfish itself.

How to open oysters correctly?

If you want to open the oyster yourself, you will be given a special oyster knife with a thick blade. You rarely see a chainmail glove in restaurants. It is put on your hand to prevent injury. Wrap the shell in a towel and then pick it up in your hand, as it is very easy to get hurt by both the knife and the sharp edges of the shell. Place the oyster flat side up. At the junction, find a place to insert the knife and start turning it. In this way, go over the entire joint plane. Try not to hit the clam with the knife. The doors should open slightly so that we can easily open them in different directions. Now all that remains is to free the mollusk from fragments, if necessary, and trim the leg with a knife, since you already have it in your hand.

Boiled clams are served in broth with additional melted butter sauce. In this case, we treat them as with mussels, take the shell in one hand, and in the other, take out the clam meat with a fork and dip it into the broth and sauce.

Never eat unopened shellfish.

In an informal setting, fried shellfish can be eaten with your hands after dipping them in the prepared sauce. But in a restaurant it is better to use a fork; cutting them will be difficult.

Before oysters are cooked, they are always removed from their shells. In soup we eat them with a spoon, and served simply in broth with a fork.

Traditionally, oysters are served with champagne, brut or prosecco, or a soft white wine such as Chablis.

Snails (escargot)

Raw snail meat cannot be removed from the shell, so snails are served boiled in an escargottierre, a plate with special indentations for oysters. If you don't have one, you can serve them on crushed ice, like oysters, laid out on lettuce leaf and so on.

The tools that you will see on the table will be escargot tweezers (snail tongs) and a spoke-shaped skewer, instead of which a flat narrow fork with a small number of teeth can be served.

Take the shell with the hole facing up, use a skewer or fork to pry the protruding edge of the snail meat and pull it out. Before eating, the snail can be dipped in cream sauce. In formal settings, one does not drink juice from the shell. You can pour it onto your plate and soak it with a few pieces of bread, which will be strung on a fork.

We also suggest watching a video on how to eat escargot according to etiquette:

There is no need to worry about keeping your hands clean while eating shellfish, as at the end of the meal, a bowl of water with a slice of lemon inside is always served so that you can wash your hands. A special wet towel or napkins may also be provided.

After you have learned how to properly eat various shellfish according to the rules of table etiquette, you will be interested to know, and.

Oyster is one of the many seafood that belongs to the family sea ​​mollusks. There is no person who has not heard about the use of oysters in cooking. Oysters can be eaten not only in restaurants and cafes, they can also be prepared at home, since there are a large number of various recipes for their preparation.

If we talk about where oysters are found, their habitat is considered to be the seas in the tropics. Don't like oysters too much salt water, which is why they can sometimes be seen in rivers.

As for the offspring, oysters spawn, and they begin to do this in the spring. The spawning period can last up to six months, ending at the end of the summer period. For favorable spawning, oysters need quite warm water. The most interesting thing is that the eggs remain in the oyster until they are fertilized and hatch. Thus, already born mollusks emerge from the shell and move around the reservoir until they find appropriate place to attach to it and start your life.

Currently, the most valuable and high-quality oysters are considered to be Norwegian oysters, which are collected in natural Norwegian reservoirs. You can also find oysters from other countries on the market: Japan, USA, South Korea and others.

When choosing oysters, you should pay attention to their freshness. Fresh oysters should have a uniform color. Their doors must fit tightly to each other, without even the smallest crack (see photo). If you notice a small gap between the flaps, this means that the oyster is not fresh, and it is better not to use such shellfish as food, otherwise you can get seriously poisoned.

Types of oysters

Today there are about fifty known various types oysters, most of which are edible. Formally, all types of oysters are divided into two types: flat and deep.

Flat oysters include four separate varieties of shellfish that differ in taste, appearance and market value. The following varieties belong to the flat type of oysters:

• The most prized flat oysters by gourmets are Maren Oleron. They have very delicate structure, rich taste and a delicious aftertaste. They are the most popular representatives of this type of oyster.
• Belon- another variety of flat oysters, which is collected in the French province. It differs from its relatives in appearance, color in light gray tones, and also has a rather pungent odor.
• Bouzig– a type of flat oyster that is found only in the Mediterranean Sea. They differ from other types of oysters in that when eaten they give off a spicy aroma and also have a distinct salty taste.
• The yellow-green shell and small size characterize a species of oyster called Gravett. Unlike their relatives, this type Although the molluscs are not large in size, they have a very fleshy body.

Deep oysters are collected mainly only within the Pacific Ocean. This type of oyster is usually divided into two categories: exquisite and special. Refined ones have a slightly smaller volume of juice and meat than special ones, which differ significantly in price.

This type of oyster is usually grown in special tanks that are filled with special algae. Keeping oysters in such tanks improves the quality of the oyster. The deep type of oysters includes five varieties:

• The most high content fat content and a slight salty taste characterize oysters Fin de Clare. They are kept in tanks and supplied with algae as an additional source of nutrition.
• Oysters, which are larger in size and also contain more meat, are called Special. This type of oyster is kept in tanks for up to two months to saturate the oyster with the necessary elements.
• Blue Oyster differs in a specific color, which is achieved by keeping mollusks in a special aquarium, which includes blue clay. Thanks to her, this type of oyster contains great amount useful microelements.
• Croesus- This is an Irish type of oyster, which is characterized by high fat content and high meat content.
• Oysters, which differ from their counterparts in the rather elegant shape of their shell, as well as a sweetish pleasant taste and the smell of iodine, are called White pearls.

The maximum known size of this type of oyster reaches 50 centimeters. But such individuals are very rare. On average, the size of deep oysters varies between 5-20 centimeters.

Those who have come across oysters know that opening them is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. First of all, it is necessary to clarify that under no circumstances should you open oysters with hammers or any other objects that can injure the shell, otherwise the taste of the oyster can be ruined.

To properly open an oyster, you need to arm yourself with a small sharp knife, or even better, a scalpel, and carefully draw along the line of connection between the shell flaps. This cuts the muscles of the mollusk that hold the shell together, allowing you to open it.

If you decide to visit a French restaurant, then you should definitely try oysters! If you don't know how to eat them correctly, don't worry! We will enlighten you on this matter.

To begin with, I would like to note that if you decide to cook and taste oysters at home, then serve them on a tray in multiples of six. There should also be some fresh lemon wedges on the tray to add a touch of sophistication to the dish. White wine should definitely be served with oysters, as only in combination with this drink can oysters reveal their full flavor.

If you are going to eat oysters in a restaurant, then first you need to make sure that the oyster is fresh. This is very easy to determine: the sink doors must be closed. As a last resort, they open right in front of visitors to demonstrate the freshness of the oyster. Do not order or eat oysters that have already been opened, as they may be spoiled.

Eating oysters correctly is very simple: take an open oyster shell in your left hand, and a two-pronged fork, which is designed for this purpose, in your right hand. Place the tines of a fork under the body of the mollusk, and then carefully remove it from the shell. The oyster can be dipped in the oyster sauce provided, or it can be applied directly to the clam while it is still in the shell. It is also customary to sprinkle oyster meat with lemon juice before eating.

You can't chew an oyster. It is swallowed in one motion and then washed down with white wine. It is also not customary to drink liquid from oyster shells. There may be sand there if the oyster was caught during a storm.

Cooking secrets

To find out how to properly cook oysters, you should clarify that you only need to buy fresh oysters with tightly closed shells.

If you already have fresh raw oysters on hand, then you can start cooking. There are a lot of recipes for cooking oysters. They can be added to salads, served as a separate appetizer, or complemented with other dishes.

Most often, the baking method is used to prepare oysters: due to the juice content in the shell, the oyster is baked in it, and then served. Before baking, the sink must be cleaned of dirt and algae! Also, for preparing oysters, the method of stewing in the shell and without it is used.

Particularly enterprising people can boil and fry oyster meat, but this is not entirely correct. It is best to cook oysters by baking, adding aromatic spices taste.

Beneficial features

IN beneficial properties there is no doubt about oysters. Like most all seafood, oysters have a beneficial effect on human body helping him strengthen immune system and even get rid of some diseases. Thus, oyster meat has a good tonic effect, and due to the content of various amino acids in it, it can neutralize the development of cancer tumors. Also oysters capable of enhancing sexual desire, being one of the best aphrodisiacs.

Harm of oysters and contraindications

The harm of oysters is quite doubtful. Oysters can only harm those people who are allergic to them and seafood in general. Oysters have very few contraindications: it is not recommended to consume them only for people with allergies, as well as for pregnant women in the last stages of pregnancy. Oysters can also be harmful if they are not fresh.

Compound

The composition of oysters can be the envy of most seafood. Oyster meat contains elements such as proteins, fats, glycogenic carbohydrates, as well as a large amount of vitamins, in particular, they contain a lot of B vitamins.

Concerning minerals, then oysters contain iodine, potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, iron and copper. With all this, the amount of content useful minerals in oysters is so high that six oysters will be enough to replenish the daily supply of minerals for the body.

Among other things, oysters contain amino acids and saturated fatty acids, such as omega-3, which regular use are able to positively influence the immune system, as well as fight the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Oysters and mussels: differences

Most mollusks with shells are very similar to each other, and oysters with mussels are no exception. Many people ask the question: “What is the difference between oysters and mussels?” In fact, everything is very simple:

Among other things, oysters and mussels vary greatly in price. Mussels are rightly called the poor man's oysters. But if we put all the shortcomings aside, the composition of mussels is practically no different from the composition of oysters.

Unlike oysters, mussels are eaten all year round. Especially in our country, where this wonderful seafood comes mainly frozen. The main thing for us is to learn to choose quality mussels and know how to cook them. And you can make anything from a shellfish: light salads, delicious pasta, soufflé, soup or risotto. Why is he so valued?

Appreciated for...

Mussels are good for both ladies and their life partners. The former value them for their extreme low calorie content: if a piece of pork or lamb weighing 100 g averages 250-300 kcal, shellfish meat provides only 50 kcal (even shrimp have a higher calorie content and is about 80 kcal). So you can safely enjoy good taste and the delicate consistency of the mussels and not be afraid of ruining your figure. This seafood is also incredibly healthy for you and is a real aphrodisiac.

It’s all about the unique shellfish meat, which contains almost no carbohydrates, but has a high concentration of high-quality protein, vitamins B and E (the latter is called “progeny-bearing” by professionals), omega-3 fatty polyunsaturated acids, iodine, calcium and magnesium. At the same time, mussels are low in cholesterol and high in phospholipids, which have a beneficial effect on liver function. In general, this seafood is incredibly healthy, so you should periodically include it in your menu. However, do not forget that poisoning by sea reptiles is one of the most terrible, so choose mussels for your culinary masterpieces very carefully.

Clam farm

The mollusk called mussel, beloved by many gourmets, is found in almost all areas of the World Ocean, but mass industrial production is carried out only in some parts of the globe. Let’s say that seafood “sails” into our country from China, New Zealand (large green “kiwis” are from there), there are some Spanish and French products, and almost 50% of shellfish comes from Chilean Patagonia - the southernmost and least populated region of Chile, washed by the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Cultivation of mussels on farms works like this: the fry are grown a little and sent to the ocean, where they hang on ropes like giant bunches of grapes and increase their mass over the course of 8-15 months. At the same time, the seafood product is not fed with anything - it grows in natural conditions, constantly filtering the water and feeding on valuable plankton. Then the grown mussels are taken out of the ocean and subjected to two procedures: canned or scalded with hot steam and frozen.

More dead than alive

If you are lucky enough to buy fresh mussels, make sure that all shells are closed. If they are slightly open, it means that the mollusk is more likely dead than alive. You can even hit the shell with your finger - if it reacts and contracts, then everything is okay, if not, such seafood is dangerous for the stomach. Another important indicator freshness sea ​​reptile- absence specific smell. Professionals say that good mussels should smell only of the sea. However, in our country, mussels are sold mainly in a boiled-frozen state, so you can understand whether they are fresh or not only after defrosting. This means that before cooking they need to be thawed at room temperature and given a good sniff. If there is even a slight odor, it is better to refuse the delicacy.

In the sink or without?

Unlike shrimp, which can vary greatly in size, mussels do not have a wide variety of shapes. There are large gourmet ones (35/40) wearing fruit name“kiwi”, and there are medium-length clams, of which there are from 40 to 60 pieces per kilogram - they are the most popular. You can buy seafood in a whole shell (it is steamed and vacuum-packed), half shell, or a clean fillet. In any case, the mussels should not be covered with a very thick layer of ice, and even more so there cannot be snow or yellow streaks on them - this indicates that the product has been defrosted and re-frozen. Shellfish meat should be light, voluminous, elastic and have an excellent presentable appearance (black and flabby fillets indicate the old age of the seafood). If you buy canned food or preserves, before purchasing, be sure to study the brine - the brine in which mussels swim. It must be absolutely transparent; there cannot be blood clots, mold or other foreign matter in it. Don’t forget to also check the integrity of the packaging so that the oil does not leak out of the plastic jar and the vacuum bag is not torn. The label on the jar must be glued evenly and carefully, and all information on it must be clearly and understandably presented. If the composition of the product is impossible to read, the letters are blurred and the piece of paper is held crookedly, then most likely such preserves were made in an underground workshop (they are usually prepared from defrosted mussels).

Five secrets for cooking mussels

1. The best companion for mussels is white wine. They can be washed down with dishes or used to prepare “mussel” treats.

2. It is best to use sea salt to cook mussels. The main thing is to remember that seafood already contains some salt, so do not oversalt your dish.

3. Don't be afraid to combine lemon juice with any seafood, including mussels.

4. Best sauce for mussels is extremely easy to prepare. You need to mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs.

5. Mussels go well with absolutely all foods - vegetables, dough, meat, chicken, fish and other seafood. However, real gourmets believe that it is best to cook shellfish in so that other ingredients do not interrupt their taste.

Oysters and mussels, from a culinary point of view, are edible and delicious shellfish. Man discovered them for himself in the distant past. About them taste characteristics There are whole legends about its beneficial properties. Today, most often, shellfish are guests of Mediterranean cuisine.

Similarities and differences

Time to tell you how luxury oysters differ from. In principle, both are related creatures, bivalve mollusks, but at the same time their difference is obvious.

The similarity between oysters and mussels is only that they belong to mollusc-like organisms. Otherwise, these mollusks are full of differences.

Which one tastes better?

It is impossible to say for sure which is tastier than an oyster or a mussel. The answer to this question can be called rhetorical, because each person has his own taste. Shellfish connoisseurs highly value taste qualities both of those presented.

It's jelly-like, smooth, and drunk raw straight from the shell. The shelf life is minimal; they do not tolerate freezing. Oyster meat is served on ice with a slice of lemon.

IN large quantities Oysters can cause stomach upset.

Mussel meat, unlike oyster meat, is thicker in consistency, especially after heat treatment, and its taste is not so soft and delicate. Tasting will help you decide which mollusk is closer to your taste.

Mussels are an allergen and should not be eaten raw, since their physiology allows them to pass harmful substances through themselves.

What they look like in the photo

How much do they cost and where to buy

The cost of oysters may shock many, and this is understandable. Elite shellfish are difficult to obtain. This is why mussels are more affordable product. They tolerate frozen storage, are easily transported and are available for sale.

The average price is 600 rubles, and frozen ones are much cheaper, about 350 rubles. The price is significantly influenced by the type of mollusk and its habitat.

Only a select few can afford to experience the elegant taste of live oysters, since these “sea beauties” are served alive only in elite restaurants. It is not possible to buy them in a regular hypermarket. The price for 1 kg of this mollusk varies from 1,500 rubles and can reach the highest level. It is influenced by variety, size and habitat.

What dishes to cook

Particularly tasty and delicious dishes are prepared from oysters and mussels. gourmet dishes, which are served at dinner parties or social functions. A few examples of dishes where oysters are the main soloists will help you decide on their preparation.

1. Cooked with rice and squid.
2. Grilled on skewers.
3. Cooked with white wine.
4. Cocktail of oysters with herbs and lemon.
5. Salad with oysters and shrimp.

There is an incredible variety of dishes. They are boiled and fried, salted, pickled,... They are served with mayonnaise and go well with rice, tomato and... Examples of mussel dishes:

1. Stewed with vegetables.
2. Sailor-style fried with garlic.
3. Roast mussels with onions and tomatoes.
4. Pilaf with mussels.

Dishes made from shellfish turn out to be exquisite and sophisticated. Some people like them, others are indifferent to them. This is a matter of taste, but in any case you need to try shellfish at least once to draw your own conclusion.

What is the difference between wine and wine?

The classic option is to serve white with oysters or mussels. dry wine Chablis (France) or champagne. In addition, from grape varieties such as: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay. Wines must be extremely dry. These grape varieties are recognized as world class and are grown everywhere.

There is absolutely no need to chase “high” imported wines. Russian manufacturers They know how to make wonderful dry white wines that are ideal for these shellfish.

Pay attention to the wines of the Krasnodar region and Crimea. For example, premium class Phanagoria or Esse wines from the Satera plant.

Shellfish are not just oysters and mussels. Mollusks live next to us and are all around us. This is a type of invertebrate and soft-bodied animal, most of them have a shell. Not all of them are edible; some live in water, while others live on land. Some mollusks serve as suppliers of precious pearls and mother-of-pearl.

So who are mollusks? These are ordinary snails and garden slugs, octopuses, squids, oysters, mussels, and rapana. In total, biologists count about 130,000 species of mollusks in nature, and scientists consider them the ancestors of living organisms on the planet.

Well, we have dealt with oysters and mussels, now we know which of them are, who eats them and with what. All that remains is to prepare them and serve them, and don’t forget about a glass of chilled dry white wine. We wish everyone a fragrant experience and a pleasant aftertaste.

Mussels in shells

What's inside the shell

As a child, reading about ancient life abroad, I mentally lived through all the plots along with the book characters: I felt, grieved, and rejoiced. And she ate. I ate their magical delicious book food. I found oysters a particularly intriguing dish, reminiscent of large plastic clips in modest Soviet illustrations.

I knew that oysters were sea ​​shells, which must be eaten in a special way, by opening the tight latch with a special cutlery tool (I wonder what kind?), and swallowing their slippery carcasses almost raw. In my fantasies, oysters were something strict, expensive and aristocratic. Unlike mussels, which were more often mentioned in stories about a difficult and hungry life. From the novels I understood that these edible shells They differ in size (oysters are larger) and shades of flavor - mussel meat is sweeter and more tender.

Immersing myself in the plot, I tried on the heroines’ chic dresses, their shoes, jewelry, soaked cambric handkerchiefs with a monogram with real French perfume, performed feats, fell in love, suffered, shuddered over potholes in the carriage, dashingly rode horses... tripping only over the rules of etiquette. I realized with horror that if at a dinner in polite company I was offered oysters, it would be very embarrassing, because I did not know how to eat them correctly. For some reason, the question of who would treat a Soviet child to such a curiosity never occurred to me.

The fact that another miracle is born in mollusk shells - pearls, which were worn by many book beauties, only increased the intrigue.

What's inside an oyster shell

Of course, in films about life abroad they sometimes showed how heroes gracefully and deftly handled various edible shells, but I didn’t have time to look at all the details, and there was nothing to practice on.

In the mid-nineties, exotic bourgeois delicacies first appeared in post-Soviet stores: frog legs, snails, oysters, mussels and all sorts of other animals. You could see their frozen carcasses, but how to properly eat mussels (and even cook them) remained a mystery.

Taste of mussels

And so when, many years later, in a crowded Greek psarotavern (fish restaurant, from the gr. “psarya” - fish) I was offered a menu in some non-Greek and not at all Russian language, I had to choose dishes whose names resembled at least something familiar and were reasonably priced. I ordered it. What is completely unclear, but from the second courses section. Five minutes later a dish was brought, where in a warm olive oil small oval carcasses of some orange-sand-colored sea animal floated, sprinkled with lemon. I tried it. There were no words. There was only a sweetish-salty trickle of taste, slowly fading in the mouth. These juicy one-bite lumps turned out to be mussels. And there were no shells or frightening instruments for opening them around. This is how my childhood dreams came true by chance. It was so delicious!

When you eat a mussel, what's left is this mother-of-pearl shell!

Where do mussels and oysters come from?

In general, the love for oysters and mussels has a centuries-old history. Of course, no one knows exactly when people first thought of trying the contents of a shell. Collecting shellfish is as ancient as mushroom hunting (by the way, fried on butter mussels taste like porcini mushrooms). Archaeological excavations confirm that already in the Stone Age, oysters and mussels were part of the diet of the peoples inhabiting the sea coasts. And the chroniclers of Ancient Rome mentioned that there were fewer and fewer oysters and therefore people began to artificially breed and grow them. This is how some people raised chickens and geese, and others raised oysters.

Our distant ancestors loved edible shells because they were tasty, nutritious and easy prey. They could be devoured both raw and fried, an excellent broth could be made from them, the tender meat of the shellfish was harmoniously combined with vegetables, lemon juice and sea ​​salt- that is, with everything that was at hand.

Collecting shellfish does not require much effort or tools. They can be found on underwater parts of coastal rocks, port structures and other solid bases to which the larvae attach at the beginning of their lives. Then they grow, gradually filling the entire surface of the substrate. Catchers need to find these clusters of shells and carefully separate them from the base.

It is best to collect mussels and oysters away from civilization, where they grow larger, and the water that the mollusks constantly pass through is cleaner. Nature has endowed mussels and oysters with this feature not only for cleansing sea ​​waters. The shell, firmly attached to the substrate, lives its life in immobility, and, therefore, feeds only on what the sea waves bring to it. By absorbing water, which is involved in the respiration process, mollusks also feed on microorganisms inhabiting the sea.

That’s how they end up on the kitchen table – with salty water in the sink. If you bought frozen mussels or oysters, then in the process of defrosting the shellfish, your house will be filled with wonderful aroma seas. For those who dream of relaxing on the beach, this smell in simple Russian cuisine is like a vitamin, invigorating cocktail, awakening joyful memories of sea air, sun and waves. The smell of thawed mussels and oysters will drive away all melancholy and gloom.

Of course, you are unlikely to be able to find oysters in the wild; they are supplied to stores and restaurants from special oyster farms. But you can still get mussels yourself.

Processing mussels and oysters

And if you find these wonderful shells in your kitchen, the first thing you should do is rinse them thoroughly, clearing them of any remaining substrate, sand, silt and algae, and remove the intestines (you will see something black under the skin).

Shelf life of fresh mussels and oysters

You cannot store raw mussels and oysters for a long time; you need to deal with them even faster than with fish. After washing and cleaning the shellfish, you can leave the shells slightly open (whole), you can break off and throw away 1 shell, or remove the mussel from the shell altogether, depending on what you will cook next and how to serve it.

A dish of mussels (cooked) can be stored in the refrigerator, but I wouldn’t delay this for more than 12 hours, you never know. And freshly cooked mussels and oysters taste better.

So, we need to decide whether we eat shellfish raw, prepare a dish of mussels or oysters, or freeze them until better times

Is it possible to eat mussels and oysters raw?

Do mussels and oysters squeak when eaten?

There is a funny misconception associated with eating raw oysters and mussels. Some people believe that when you drink a fresh clam from the shell, it, realizing the inevitability of death, squeaks desperately. It's a terrible story, isn't it?!

In fact, mollusks do not have vocal cords (have you ever heard of mollusks talking, singing, especially under water, where do they live?), and a squeak, or rather a whistle, is born when the shell is opened, when, due to a drop in pressure, the air whistles into its cavity.

It is believed that after thoroughly washing the shells and removing the intestines (this is if you caught the shellfish yourself; store-bought mussels and oysters are usually processed), you need to soak them in clean, cool water for 2-3 days or several hours.

Afterwards you can eat (drink) them raw, after opening the shell.

How to eat mussels and oysters raw

How to open a raw oyster or mussel

You need to turn the oyster or mussel shell with its pointed tip towards you and insert a small and not very wide knife (so that the blade does not spring back and break) or a special oyster fork where the upper and lower flaps meet.

Bend back the mussel flaps. To do this, you will have to apply a little effort - the mollusk muscle located in the middle of the shell will try to slam the valves shut. Having overcome resistance, open the shell, drain the water, trim the muscle (with a knife or the cutting part of an oyster fork), remove this muscle, thus separating the tasty shellfish carcass from the shell.

What to eat raw mussels and oysters with

Drizzle lemon onto oyster or mussel meat, sprinkle with coarse salt or sea salt (since you are in a place where shellfish are eaten fresh, you will probably find it), you can add a little pepper. Some gourmets prefer spicy seasonings– chili sauce, horseradish and various sauces.

How to Eat Raw Mussels and Oysters from the Shell

And after you have seasoned the mussel or oyster meat, delicately and silently drink the contents of the shell from the flap, bringing it to your lips from the deeper and more rounded side of the shell, so that it is both convenient and aesthetically pleasing.

Why do we “drink” if the shellfish is meat, and the water from the shell in which it splashed on the way from the sea to the table has already been drained? The fact is that after opening and draining, the clam gives up the previously absorbed water, and juice appears in the shell again, which is highly valued by gourmets.

How to Serve Fresh Mussels and Oysters

“Oysters in ice on a saucer smelled fresh and sharp of the sea...” wrote Anna Akhmatova, noting another nuance - it is customary to place raw shellfish on a dish sprinkled with finely chopped ice. Ice chilled raw oysters and mussels acquire a clearer, more distinct flavor and stay fresh longer.

Often served with shellfish cracker cookies, which is convenient for scooping up sauce and snacking on shell meat.

TO fresh mussels and it is customary to serve oysters and White wine. Would also be very appropriate bowls with water and a slice of lemon(to fight off the smell of seafood) and wet towels or warmed wet hand wipes.

Of course, the chef can make your task easier and serve the shellfish open, but that's boring! Is it possible to miss such entertainment with mussels and oysters?!

Signs of freshness of mussels and oysters

In addition, it is believed that opening mollusk shells with your own hands will protect you from stale and stale product. If the shells open the doors on their own, it means they are already sluggish and fall asleep - the expiration date has expired, but you won’t know for sure whether they opened themselves or whether the cook helped them. Also, take a closer look, the carcass should have a healthy, appetizing appearance; dried, twisted specimens are inedible!

It is believed that the most delicious oysters will be those collected in the month of the year whose name contains the letter “r”. This is explained by the fact that from May to August, mollusks have a reproductive period and the forces of their body are aimed at procreation; they lose weight and taste.

Isn't it scary to eat raw oysters and mussels?

The first sensation from an oyster swallowed and sliding further may turn out to be ambiguous, unusual, strange, so it is better to give yourself time to get used to it and swallow it without chewing at first. The feeling of high and delight, the need to repeat these special sensations will come a little later and will be remembered by you forever.

Or, who knows, perhaps you will never dare to try this delicacy again, even hot. I assure you - raw and cooked shellfish are completely different - touch them with your tongue, chew them, feel the tingling sensation taste buds and the structure of the pieces... and you'll see what I mean. Probably the most vivid feeling from raw product It is born, mainly, at the moment it slides down the esophagus, but when cooked, it is born in the mouth, when you chew it and feel the taste in different places on the tongue. And if, nevertheless, a raw oyster and a delicacy are incompatible concepts for you, try fried, baked, boiled or stewed shellfish meat.

How to find mussels and oysters in a store

So, you have decided to cook a dish of mussels or oysters. If you are currently far from shellfish habitats, look for these seafood delicacies in the frozen food section of the supermarket. Mussels and oysters can be in shells, in half shells or just carcasses. Sometimes the catchy inscription on the packaging is in a foreign language, and the Russian translation is so small that you won’t immediately understand it.

So, if you want mussels, look for the inscriptions: mussel(in English), de mossel ( in German), moule(French), mitilo, cozza(in Italian), almeja(in Spanish) μύδια (in Greek).

If these are oysters, then their names in foreign languages ​​are as follows: oyster(English), Auster(German); huître(French), ostrica(Italian), ostra(Spanish), το στρείδι (Greek).

When you defrost shellfish, be sure to smell them. I think you can buy them for one reason only bright aroma sea ​​and freshness! The smell is intoxicating, lifts your spirits and beckons you to the distant southern lands! Just a miracle!

Very delicious mussels(boiled) with garlic sauce

How to open mussel and oyster shells when cooking

If you get clams in shells, the first thing you should do is open them. The sinks need to be heated, for this purpose the following are suitable: Cast-iron pan, a saucepan with thick walls (you can add water to the dish, the flaps will open in the water, and you will be left with an excellent broth, which you need to strain before further use. Or you can just throw them on a dry hot surface), a baking sheet, but in nature it will do a sheet of iron or an empty tin can.

Mussels should not be subjected to prolonged heat treatment, otherwise they will be tasteless and dry. The same principles apply here as when preparing squid.

Or you can pour boiling water over the shells. When heated, the mollusk muscle stops closing the shell valves, and they easily swing open. This muscle is then trimmed to alleviate the fate of the taster. In general, you can eat it immediately after opening. Or you can continue the cooking process.

What to cook from mussels or oysters

Photo delicious dish from oysters Alexandra Ostapenko

There are many other tasty and interesting dishes from shellfish. You can use mussels and oysters in dishes that you would otherwise add fish, shrimp or squid to. Remember that mussels and oysters cannot be boiled, fried or stewed for a long time; they are cooked quickly, in one go.

Cooked from oysters and mussels excellent soups, prepare pilaf, stew shellfish with vegetables, under different sauces, with spices, fry shashlik, prepare salads and paella. Recently I fried potatoes and added boiled mussel meat to them at the end - very tasty!

Mother-of-pearl shells with pieces of meat, laid out on multi-colored vegetable dishes or sticking out of rice porridge. At first glance, it seems that it is inedible, because on top of the wonderful products there are some bone boats! And then you think – how did we gobble it all up so quickly?!