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What should I do with frozen mussels?


abadoozy

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A friend gave me a couple packages of frozen mussels - something I would normally never buy - but here they are, and I am clueless as to what to do with them. Anyone have any experience with them? Are they decent?

Typically with fresh mussels we steam them in some sort of broth or wine. Can I do the same with these? Also, with fresh mussels, I throw away any that don't open during steaming. Will the same thing happen with the frozen?

I admit, I am perplexed.

Edit: I just looked at the packages. They are fully-cooked farmed mussels from Canada, if that makes any difference. Brand name is Blount Seafood.

Edited by abadoozy (log)
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I'm unfamiliar with this product. I suggest that you defrost & heat up a few mussels, if you can, & taste them. That should give you ideas about what to do with them. Also, if the mussels don't taste good, why bother doing anything with them?

Off the top of my head, you could put cooked mussels into a tomato or cream pasta sauce--add them at the last minute so they only heat up. I've never tried pickled mussels, but that might be a good application for these frozen mussels--the brine and flavorings will help if the mussels are bland. A recipe is on this blog. You could probably substitute canned clam juice for the mussel juice.

http://ernielb.blogspot.com/2007/12/mussel-feed-recipe.html

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Why not defrost 'em and use 'em in salad - it could be a spoil-yourself mussels-tossed-in-dressing deal, or as a highlight in a mixed salad. They're cooked, why do more ? Is it summer where you are ?

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We go through lots of mussels -- there are aquaculture farms up and down the coast here. Never experienced them precooked and frozen although I've seen them that way at the store. I can't imagine the freezing enhances them like smoking and canning.

I agree with djyee100 that warming them through for a taste test is a good idea.

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With the frozen pre-cooked New Zealand mussels I just saute some garlic in lots of butter, add a splash of wine and lay in the frozen mussels meat side down to heat through. The NZ are always on the half shell

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Blount is considered the leading frozen mussel supplier in North America and provides the foodservice industry with year-round availability of IQF fresh-frozen mussels.

These are sold in the large oriental markets in the Seattle area and I use them in any recipe in which I would use steamed mussels, other then a bowl of simple steamed mussels. Treating them as Tracey indicated should be a good start. Just don't cook them too long as they are already cooked. You just want to warm them through. They can pretty much be substituted for chopped clams in lots of recipes, i.e. pasta sauce etc.

Kay

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Thanks for all the replies!

I ended up doing them like fresh mussels - just steaming them in wine & herbs & Pernod. They were definitely edible, but not as good as fresh. A few fishy ones in the bunch but overall very decent. Given that any fresh mussels I get will have to be flown in (small town, nobody sells fresh seafood), and these are $4 for more than enough for 2 people to have for dinner, I'm happy!

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