Black Sea mussel: description, benefits, recipes

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Many have heard about the benefits of seafood. The Black Sea mussel has the same properties, which today is to the taste not only of seafood gourmets, but also of everyone who has tried them at least once. This product is especially popular among those who take care of their he alth, because mussels are quite nutritious and at the same time have a low calorie content, which is very much appreciated.

The main habitat of mollusks is the seabed, but in the modern world there are also specially equipped farms where mussels are grown artificially.

Mmussel habitat

The Black Sea mussel, a description of which you can see in our article, is a resident of sea waters, a bivalve mollusk. It has an oblong-oval shell, smooth to the touch on the outside.

The Black Sea mussel lives in colonies, most often placed on stones in the coastal zone, attaching to them with the help of special threads - byssus. It feeds on plankton, passing a huge volume of water through the shell.

A large number of mussels due to the fertility of femaleindividuals. So, during spawning, one individual is able to lay up to 20 million eggs, from which, approximately the next day, larva-like individuals hatch. Mussels are distinguished by excellent adaptability to life with sudden changes in the level of s alt in the water and its temperature.

The described mollusks differ from each other in size, shape and duration of the life cycle. For example, on average, Black Sea mussels can live up to 6 years, northern mussels up to 12 years, and Pacific mussels 30 years. By the way, there were cases when pearls were found in individual shells of Black Sea mussels, but this is quite a rare occurrence.

Temperate and tropical waters of the ocean are considered permanent habitats for mussels. And best of all they breed in the waters of the Black Sea. In some countries, there are farms for growing mussels in an artificial environment. The first to grow them themselves were sailors from Ireland in the 13th century.

Scope of mussels

The Black Sea mussel, the benefits of which are not only in the purification of sea waters, is also used as a food product. It can be boiled, fried, baked with vegetables, steamed, smoked and added to other foods. Today this seafood is quite popular in many European countries.

For eating, shellfish must be carefully selected with a whole shell, without any damage. It is important to know that only tightly closed shells are used. The Black Sea mussel opens under the influence of high temperature, and if this did not happen after processing, it must bethrow away.

Meaty inside, mantle and shell liquid are used for cooking. Mollusk meat has a light, delicate color, soft texture, sweetish taste and pleasant aroma. The Black Sea mussel, the photo of which can be seen in the article, is ideal for adding to potatoes, various types of cereals, pasta, it is often cooked with vegetables and added to salads. And connoisseurs add mussels to soup, stew, pilaf, pasta and even soufflé. In addition, they are part of many delicious sauces.

It is important to remember that the mussel is a product that should be eaten immediately after cooking. It should not be stored in the refrigerator for the purpose of reheating, as this is fraught with severe poisoning.

Useful properties of the product

Specialists say that the mussel is a natural protein that can compete with beef and fish. It is mollusks that have the richest and most useful composition. So, mussel meat contains the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, namely:

• most of the B vitamins;
• vitamin C;
• folate, iron, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and zinc.

Eating mussels in small quantities, you can speed up the metabolism, get rid of fatigue, depression, loss of strength and loss of vitality. All this is provided by vitamin B 12 present in the product. Selenium ensures the functioning of the immune system, it is especially important for the thyroid gland. Manganese is responsible for the integrity and density of bone tissue, andas well as energy production. The use of mussels is recommended for certain blood diseases.

Mussel as a dietary product

Specialists, studying the dietary properties of products, came to the conclusion that mussel meat provides the body with protein on a par with red meat. But at the same time, the marine product has a smaller amount of fat, which means it does not increase cholesterol levels. The Black Sea mussel has approximately 75% of the calories in relation to beef and contains almost 3 times more natural protein necessary for the heart system.

Cardiologists believe that the omega-3s found in mussel meat are among the most powerful natural cardioprotectors. Regular use of this product reduces the risk of developing many heart diseases, in particular, prevents arrhythmias.

Scientists say that 100 g of mussels daily can provide the body with a daily intake of all the necessary vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. In addition, seafood has a positive effect on the formation of a slim figure, since it does not contribute to the formation of fat cells in the body.

Contraindications and harm

Despite the rich composition and benefits of this marine product, there are cases when mussels are contraindicated for consumption, namely:

• with individual intolerance to seafood;
• for problems with blood clotting.

It is also necessary to remember that the absence of contraindications is not a reason to eat only mussel meat, since their excessiveuse can cause certain consequences for a person.

One should not lose sight of the information about the ability of mussels to purify the waters of the sea, and therefore accumulate harmful substances in themselves. Therefore, it is worth buying and cooking live mussels to be sure of their freshness. Frozen foods can also be consumed, but only from trusted manufacturers.

Black Sea mussel: recipes cooking

Mussel stew with vegetables, which we bring to your attention, involves the preparation of 2 servings. Take:

• 400g mussel meat;
• one carrot;
• big onion;
• 1/2 tsp s alt;
• 2 garlic cloves;
• sprig of leeks;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Wash and clean mussel shells from dirt. We separate the meat - for this, the shell can be dipped in boiling water for 7 minutes. (until full disclosure). And to cook frozen mussels, it will take no more than 10 minutes.

Next, put the onion in a pan with vegetable oil and fry, add the carrots grated on a coarse grater and also fry a little. If necessary, cut the finished mussel meat and add it to the frying pan. Then chop the leek and add it to the same. Stir constantly during cooking. Already at the end, squeeze the garlic through the garlic press to make the dish fragrant. Pepper, s alt, add spices to your liking. The dish is ready to eat! When serving, you can decorate it with greens.

Noodle soup with mussels

Ingredients:

• 100g mussel meat;
• 1-3 bulbs;
• 20g parsley root;
• 20g butter;
• noodles;
• s alt, pepper, spices.

To prepare the soup, you need to take pre-boiled mussel meat, chop and fry with onion and parsley in butter. At the same time, boil the noodles in pre-boiled and s alted water for several minutes, then drain the water and rinse it.

Add the fried mussels with onions and noodles to the boiling broth with noodles, cook everything until cooked. We use spices to taste. Before serving, the soup can be garnished with chopped herbs.

Mussels with rice and vegetables

You will need:

• 1/2 tbsp. round rice;
• 2 kg mussels with shell;
• 3 pcs sweet pepper;
• 2 large tomatoes;
• 5 green onions;
• spices, lemon;
• butter;
• hard cheese.

For cooking it is necessary to wash the rice, boil it in s alted water. Rinse the cooked rice and drain in a colander. Remove dirt from mussel shells, rinse thoroughly.

Put a little butter in the pan, when it melts, add finely chopped onion and fry. Cut the sweet pepper into strips and add to the pan, fry everything for a few minutes, stirring constantly. During this time, the pepper becomes soft and light. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan, fry, s alt and pepper to taste.

Put on another heated panmussels and cover with a lid. It is necessary to drain the foam formed under the lid and fry until the shells are fully opened. Season the opened mussels with spices to taste and pour over with lemon juice.

We clean the meat from shells, removing excess debris, leave a few open shells for decoration.

Next, mix the mussels with fried vegetables and simmer over low heat for several minutes. Then we mix everything with rice, give it time to warm up. We lay out the finished dish on plates, sprinkle with herbs and grated cheese. Decorate with shell mussels and serve.