Comments on: Spicy Tomato Mussels a la Marketman

By: Marketman

Marketman — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:14:00 +0000

margie, these mussels are already cooked then frozen. They are steamed, picked out of their shells and flash frozen. I know what you mean about being wary of frozen shellfish… but in the past few years, I have been using frozen New Zealand, Australian (Tasmanian) mussels and now chilean mussels to very good results. I have never used frozen clams or oysters, however. corrine, yes, the green lipped mussels in S&R are from New Zealand, and a bit large and sometimes tough. I tend to use them only for baked mussels. But these frozen ones from Chile were nice and small, and remained succulent and tender after cooking… so I hope these become regularly available.

By: margie

margie — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:04:00 +0000

hi mm! just wondering if it is “safe” to eat frozen mussels? isnt it a given that clams and mussels should be cooked fresh since you will only know a good mussel if the shell opens while cooking? i was craving for vongole while in honolulu a few years back but i couldnt find manila clams. i did find FROZEN Manila clams and it was a disaster. not only did all the black sand get into my butter and white wine sauce but the taste was askew and so i threw the whole thing out rather then food poisoning my family. just double checking :) thanks!

By: corrine

corrine — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:22:02 +0000

Hi MM. I like mussels but the problem is where to source it. Don’t like the ones from Cavite…might not be clean. I bought from S&R some years back but they were huge!

By: g

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:55:25 +0000

the solution to your cooking wine problem is to drink anything.

By: Papa Ethan

Papa Ethan — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:15:12 +0000

Do you think adding some paprika would give that “sharper” taste you were looking for?

Thanks for tipping us about the frozen mussels. One day very early in the morning, I saw how they handle mussels in Farmers’ Market: sacks were being unloaded on the street right by the gutter, for sorting out into different sizes. Yuck!

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:35:14 +0000

MP, I would have to agree with your husband. I wouldn’t cook with something I wouldn’t drink, but having said that, I wouldn’t cook with a really special bottle of wine either. I generally use a dry white wine, not an overly sweet, dessertish white wine. There is just a bit of the flavor left in the dish after burning off the alcohol and adding the other ingredients, so it’s more an added layer of flavor than an essential must be one type of wine kind of thing.

By: MP

MP — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:32:15 +0000

Gorgeous! I wonder if this and the other recipe would work well with scallops….

MM, do you generally use DRY white wine for cooking? Is there any other type? If so, does the type alter the taste? Interested to know because hubby just uses whatever is open and says it doesn’t matter what type. He says that we shouldn’t cook with wine which we don’t like to drink!

By: max

max — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:11:24 +0000

gorgeous color, i love spicy foods…yum

By: kristin

kristin — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:30:03 +0000

eyyy! my mouth simply watered, and i just had dinner! mussels are very fine here in the part of the world, it wouldnt lead you to the restroom..so, when my diet permits i do the same as topping for pasta, and without the tomato is just good with plain hot rice..

By: PITS, MANILA

PITS, MANILA — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:10:58 +0000

i know i will enjoy this and the one before! and yes, i remember trips to the CR/ER. no matter.