Mussels are found in both fresh and saltwater, but freshwater mussels are generally considered unpalatable. Saltwater mussels have been enjoyed by humans for thousands of years, although cultivation of mussels didn’t begin until the 1970s in North America. Today 80 percent of the world’s mussels are produced on Canada’s Prince Edward Island. Packed with nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, as well as heart-healthy unsaturated fats, mussels can be prepared in a variety of ways including smoked, boiled, steamed, roasted, sautéed, or grilled. They must be kept alive until being cooked, because once they die, enzymes quickly break down the meat, making it unpalatable. Historically mussels that fail to open during cooking were discarded; however, research done by marine biologist Nick Ruello found that 11.5 percent of mussels fail to open during cooking, but when forced open, 100 percent were adequately cooked and safe to eat.
Recipe Servings: 4
+ 20 minutes resting
Ingredients
- 3½ lbs mussels
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2–4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 lb Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
- ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup parsley, minced
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 bunches fresh spinach, stems removed
Directions
- Inspect each mussel and discard any that are cracked or chipped. If any are open, tap them on the counter to see if they close. If they don’t close, discard them.
- Soak the mussels in a bowl of water for about 20 minutes.
- Remove the mussels’ beards (fibers that emerge from the shell) by pulling them out away from the shell until they come off. Complete this step just before cooking or the mussels will die and spoil.
- Clean each mussel using a firm brush to remove any sand or odd barnacles.
- Rinse the cleaned mussels under cold water.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine all the ingredients, including the mussels, in a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Arrange the mussels with pointed ends up in a single layer in a cast iron skillet or heavy baking dish.
- Pour the marinade mixture from the bowl over the mussels.
- Bake the mussels for about 10 minutes or until most of them have opened. While they are baking, steam the spinach in a large pot set over an inch of boiling water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Remove it from the heat and spread it out on a large serving platter. Season the spinach with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the open mussels on top of the spinach and return the pan with any unopened mussels to the oven for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the mussels from the oven.
- Arrange the mussels on top of the spinach and pour the remaining mixture over the mussels and spinach.
- Sprinkle the parsley over the mussels and serve immediately.
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