Dig Into One Of These Mussel Dishes At Your Local Seafood Eatery
If you're keen on digging into a serving of mussels, you've generally got two options. You can visit a local seafood retailer and buy some mussels — or you can find a seafood restaurant in your area. The latter is arguably a better idea because mussels require a considerable amount of work to prepare. It's far more enjoyable to select a meal that appeals to you and relax until the food arrives at your table. If you're relatively new to seafood, you may be interested to know that you can order mussels in several different ways. Here are three preparations that are popular.
Steamed Mussels
One of the most common ways that you'll find mussels on a seafood restaurant's menu is steamed. There are many different recipes for steamed mussels, but most involve a broth that contains a number of ingredients. Mussels don't take long to cook, so your local seafood restaurant will typically steam a serving of mussels in their shells in the broth for just a few minutes and then serve them with a few ladles of broth poured over the mussels. You'll often find white wine-based sauces and tomato-based sauces, although some restaurants will offer various international variations.
Fried Mussels
Many seafood restaurants' menus have a selection of fried fare, which is often appealing to patrons. If you're a fan of the crispy taste of fried seafood, you may wish to order a plate of fried mussels as an appetizer. Fried mussels are easier to eat than other preparations because the establishment's kitchen staff removes the shells before frying them. This means that you're left with only the meat itself, which has been battered and fried in a seasoned flour mix. Restaurants often serve fried mussels with dip.
Mussels With Pasta
If you're a pasta lover, there's a good chance that you'll be able to find a menu item that combines pasta and mussels. For example, your local seafood eatery may have pasta with a cream sauce and mussels. Some pasta dishes have mussels in the shell; in other cases, the shells will be absent by the time the dish arrives at your table. While you'll often find pasta dishes in which mussels are the sole protein source, you may also find dishes with other types of seafood. This list can include not just mussels, but also clams, shrimp, squid, and more. Ask your server for his or her recommendation about which mussels dish the restaurant does the best.