Mad about mussels
I don’t know about you guys, but I absolutely love mussels. On a cold winter day, steamed in some white wine, shallots, with a little garlic and parsley. Delicious!!! Food for the soul!
I often get asked how do you know if a mussel is bad? Mussel’s should be alive when you buy them from a purveyor. You can’t eat them when they are dead, otherwise you risk getting sick.
First tip: they should NOT be kept on ice, as ice will kill them! Mussels, clams and oysters should all be stored at 41 degrees and left in their original shipping containers or netted bags. Second tip: the shells should be tightly closed. But if the shell is open, tap on it. If the shell closes, it means the mussel is still alive. Third tip: throw out any mussels that do not open during cooking. It means they were dead even before you started!
Now what are you waiting for….crack open a bottle of wine and get cooking!
May 18th, 2010 at 11:28 am
I love mussels too, although this question has nothing to do with mussels. Is there a taste difference between onions and shallots? When a recipe calls for shallots, is it okay to substitute onions?
May 18th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
What a fantastic question – the short answer is, yes, you can substitute one for the other in a pinch – they are both members of the onion family. I’ll elaborate more on this later in the week because I think it would make a great posting in The Daily Dish! Stay tuned and keep the food questions coming!