Being able to get nutritious, delicious, inexpensive cultivated Blue Mussels year-round is almost too good to be true! So easy to prepare in a variety of ways, clean and sweet, these morsels from Prince Edward Island (PEI) make a very regular appearance in my kitchen – and every time seems like a special treat. A favorite of ours is the simple, easy and quick Mussels Fra Diavolo – so much flavor in so little time, and a healthier option than the more traditional garlic and butter sauce.
How to clean and ‘beard’ mussels: Usually sold in 2 pound mesh bags, cultivated mussels require very little in the way of cleaning before you cook them. Give them a good rinse and sort through, discarding any that are broken or stay open when tapped lightly.
Also pull off any ‘beards’ (the fibrous, inedible threads the mussels can produce to attach to something) which will appear in the crack where the shell halves meet. Cultivated mussels usually have very insignificant beards, but any found can be removed with a gentle tug. This is called “bearding mussels”, and any that have been bearded must be cooked right away – don’t clean and beard your mussels then put in the refrigerator overnight. Set the cleaned mussels aside while you make the Fra Diavolo Sauce.
Ingredients for Mussel Fra Diavolo Sauce Recipe: (for 2 pounds cultivated blue mussels. Serves 2-3 as entree)
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1 15 or 16 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
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2 large cloves garlic, minced
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1 small yellow onion, minced
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1/2 cup red wine
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1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Simply combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot or wok (I use a wok) and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the sauce has reduced some. Taste for salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the mussels will release some briny liquid as they cook. Add the mussels, stir thoroughly and cover. Cook at a high simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the mussels are opened.
You can use a fork to get your mussels out of the shell – but here’s a fun tip for how to eat mussels:
After eating your first mussel, keep that shell hinge intact and use the shell to eat the other mussels. The shell will act as little tongs, and pulls out the mussels easily!
Some nice crusty bread or rolls served with the mussels is great for getting up all the delicious Fra Diavolo sauce, or serve with pasta if you wish. Enjoy!
About cultivated Blue Mussels: While Blue Mussels are native to Massachusett’s shore, gathering them wild means dealing with some very gritty, heavily bearded and mollusk covered mussels. The cultivated ones from PEI are still grown in the fresh sea waters, but are suspended in the water rather than having to struggle on the rocky shores, attaching themselves for dear life and subject to the sand and grit carried into them with the incoming and outgoing tides. A brilliant industry, dedicated to sustainable aquaculture and producing a wonderful seafood.
Timeless Gourmet
I found this website through NBT….I love it!
I LOVE this Website! Thanks for making mussels fra diavolo, which I had to look up…