Check Out My Mussels

I recently cooked mussels for the very first time. I know, why did it take me so long to make mussels at home? I order them a lot when I’m eating out and if they’re done well, there is nothing better. I suppose I was put off by all the dire information about mussels in my cookbooks. “They have to be alive when you cook them. You have to make sure you clean them really, really well. You have to debeard them” (a word that wasn’t in my vocabulary, nor did I want it to be).

It turns out that farm-raised mussels come already fairly clean and debearded. They just need a quick rinse and scrub before cooking. As for the dead ones, they are easy to spot — just chuck any mussels with open or broken shells while washing. I bought 2 pounds for the two of us, as the cookbooks advised, but was worried after throwing out about a quarter of them that we wouldn’t have enough for a decent meal. Turns out there were plenty, since the mussels were big and meaty. They were cheap, too, much cheaper than in restaurants.

I wasn’t the only one who felt trepidatious about the mussels. When I told my husband what we were having for dinner, his response was, “Mussels? Really?” Guess who gobbled up more than me?

It turns out that mussels are at their best in winter and early spring, so this is probably not the greatest time of year to buy them. Still, the farm-raised mussels we ate were large, chewy and had a slightly sweet, briny flavor — just as they should be. So I suppose there is not much risk in buying them “off-season” if they are from the farm. According to Mark Bittman, they can be stored in a bowl in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days — no need to store in water or on ice or anything complicated like that.

In the case of mussels, it’s better to buy farm-raised than wild-caught, not only because they are free of muck and beards, but also because this is one case where farming is ecologically sounder than fishing. According to epicurious.com:

Farmed mollusks such as clams, oysters, mussels, and bay scallops offer one of the least ecologically harmful choices, according to Environmental Defense: They require no feed because they strain plankton out of the water, which in turn helps filter the surrounding waters, sometimes improving water quality. Plus, harvesting methods such as ropes, nets, and rafts do little habitat damage.

There are several ways to cook mussels, but for my first try I went the classic route and steamed them. Mussels are insanely easy to cook. They take only a couple of minutes, and you know they’re done because they all open. (Throw away any that stay closed; they were probably dead to begin with.)

Because mussels exude liquid when cooking, not much more is needed for the pan. Add some flavorful elements and use the steaming liquid as a sauce when the mussels are cooked. Wine is classic, but this time I decided to go with a more Indian flavor profile.

I sauteed onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil until golden. I added chopped tomato, crumbled dried red chile, paprika and curry powder, and sauteed a little longer, until the tomato began to break down. Then I added just about ¼ cup chicken stock and brought it to a simmer. I added the mussels, covered the pan, and let them steam for about 4 minutes, until the shells opened. I scooped them into a bowl and put out another bowl for the shells, and we had an easy, fast dinner.

I certainly won’t be afraid of mussels anymore.

What’s in Season? Asparagus

I won’t say that I’ve been eating enough asparagus lately to make my pee smell (because I’m a lady and I don’t talk about that sort of thing), but I have been eating a lot of asparagus.* Asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable, in my opinion. It even looks like a bud on a stem, getting ready to flower. That’s not surprising when you consider that asparagus is a member of the Lily family. Yes, now we can get asparagus all year round. But for me, spring means asparagus.

I think asparagus is one of the great vegetables, a vegetable that would satisfy even if eaten alone for a meal. It’s also really good for you, since it is loaded with folic acid, potassium, fiber, and vitamins A, C and B6. But you have to eat it fast. After buying fresh asparagus, it’s best to use it within 3 days, or it will start to turn slimy. When you’re shopping, look for asparagus with firm, tight buds and fresh-looking (i.e., not slimy or woody) stalks. Store in the refrigerator wrapped loosely in plastic. One serving is about 1 cup or ½ pound, which equals around 5-8 stalks; I can always eat about twice that, though.

To prepare asparagus, I simply bend the bottom end of each stalk until it snaps. It will naturally break in the perfect space to remove the tough, woody bottom part of the stem. If you’re really in a hurry, you can just snap off one stalk, then line all the other stalks up on the cutting board and slice them through at the same place. A little rinse, and you’re ready to go. I never bother to peel asparagus, although if the stems seem particularly tough, peeling might be advisable.

There are many ways you can cook asparagus, but my two favorite techniques are roasting and steaming. Each results in a very different flavor. Roasting works best with thicker stems, and turns the asparagus sweet, smoky and hearty. Steaming is the ideal preparation for thinner steams and results in a delicate, vegetal flavor.

You can roast asparagus in the oven or in a pan on top of the range. Either way, toss it with some olive oil and coarse salt for the best flavor. Then cook it over a moderately high heat (or at 425 degrees, in the oven), turning once or twice, until it’s well browned. This may take anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on thickness. This hearty preparation can stand up to strong flavors, such as mint, sauteed peppers, goat cheese and pine nuts (see photo).

To steam asparagus, suspend the spears in a steaming basket over boiling water until the stems turn bright green, 5-7 minutes. Alternately, stand the spears up in boiling water to boil the stems and steam the tips. Steamed asparagus needs a lighter treatment than roasted. I usually dress steamed asparagus with vinaigrette, melted butter and of course, hollandaise sauce.

Asparagus goes so well in many recipes. Tonight, I added it to a risotto (watch for a recipe coming soon). You might also try it in a stir-fry, soup, lasagna, pasta or with fried eggs for an Italian-style breakfast. However you eat it, eat it fast because — as Robert Frost tells us — nature’s first green doesn’t stick around very long.

*By the way, that link is one of the sites that comes up first when you google “green asparagus pee,” and I couldn’t resist linking to it. If you really want to know why asparagus makes your pee smelly, go here instead.

Steamed Vegetables with Sesame Dressing

This Asian-influenced sesame dressing is a light accompaniment for pretty much any vegetable that can be steamed: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, snow peas or sugar snap peas. (If you substitute another longer cooking vegetable, remember to adjust the steaming time accordingly.) Serve this as a light starter before a heartier soup or stew. Serves 4.

1. Prepare 2 cups of the vegetable by trimming and/or cutting into equally sized pieces
2. Place a steamer basket over about ½ inch of water in a large, shallow pan and bring to a boil
3. Reduce to a gentle simmer, place the vegetables in the basket and cover
4. Steam until tender and bright green, 4-7 minutes

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing together:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Pour the dressing over the steamed vegetables and serve.

Cooking En Papillote

When I was a young Girl Scout and we went camping, we used to prepare a dish that sounds disgusting but was really one of the best things to eat under the stars. In a square of aluminum foil, we would put hamburger, sliced potatoes, sliced onions, sliced carrots and I don’t remember what all else. Wrap it all up and put it on a rack over the fire to cook. The finished result was steamed vegetables bathed in hamburger juices. Yum.

I guess this was a rudimentary version of the French technique of cooking en papillote, which means “in parchment.” Traditionally, parchment paper is used to wrap up the goodies, but aluminum foil still works just as well. Cooking en papillote is a particularly healthful technique that still packs a lot of flavor, because it requires very little fat and seals the moisture in to dry foods like fish and chicken.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay out a square of aluminum foil. For the first layer prepare a bed of vegetables, sliced thinly, julienned or matchsticked. Carrots, onions and potatoes still work well, but so does zucchini, asparagus, snow peas and other vegetables that take well to steaming. On top of that, lay a chicken cutlet, thin fish fillet or a few large scallops.

Now, drizzle over everything a small amount of liquid to provide flavor and help with the steaming. Usually, I use ½ tbsp. olive oil and 1-2 tsp. vinegar or citrus juice. But other liquids may be used, so feel free to experiment. Season with fresh herbs, salt, pepper and whatever else you like. Check the pantry — a few capers, olives or sun-dried tomatoes might be tasty on top.

Fold in the sides of the foil square to seal. Fold over the remaining two sides and roll down, then pull up a little to create something of a “tent” where the steam can circulate. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through, rotating the packets halfway during the cooking time. Obviously, fish and scallops will require a lot less time than chicken. Unwrap and serve. French cooking at its simplest.