Mussels with bread

The sautéed mussels is a delicious dish that contains all the wonderful flavor of the sea. In this recipe a few simple ingredients will give life to a really succulent stew that will enhance the intense and marine flavor of the mussels. The term sauté (of French origin) refers to a particular cooking technique in which food is simply sautéed in a pan over high heat. This recipe is prepared in a few minutes and the result will be really special. Mussels, spring onion and cherry tomatoes will be embellished with spicy, aromatic and acidulous notes of Tabasco giving the palate a real explosion of flavors. Prepare this special sauté of mussels ... Delicious fried bread croutons will be the perfect accompaniment to collect and enhance all the delicious sauce. Flavor, sweetness, acidity, crunchiness will peep out making your taste buds vibrate!

Excellent as an appetizer and as a second course, to be accompanied with the classic slices of toasted crispy bread. You just have to get fresh mussels. Thanks to the high content of omega-3 fatty acids, mussels are a formidable ally to counteract cardiovascular risks. 

Eating mussels three times a week can lead to significant health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cardiac arrest, due to their omega-3 fatty acid properties. Early research results, conducted by experts at the University of Stirling, found that adding shellfish to diets over a two-week period "significantly improved" omega-3 status.

The research project, which involved 15 participants, sought to find ways to improve essential fatty acid intake in the general population. He found that mussels provide a viable source of omega-3s that can supplement existing alternatives, such as fatty fish. Dr Stefano Carboni, from the University's Institute of Aquaculture, who led the research, said: "Although involving only a small sample size, through this study, we have shown for the first time that when mussels are consumed during lunch meals, omega-3 status is significantly improved."

"We know that omega-3s have a number of health benefits, and although it is recommended that people eat at least one serving of fatty fish per week, less than 20 percent of the population achieves this goal, and therefore does not consume the required levels of these essential fatty acids."

"Current evidence also suggests that omega-3s in the world's fish stocks are insufficient to meet the population's daily needs, so it is essential to explore alternative food sources."

The research, believed to be the first to explore the impact of mussel consumption on increasing omega-3 levels, saw participants consume fish three times a week for 14 days. Blood samples were taken from those involved and subsequently analyzed to measure the relative concentration of essential omega-3s during and after the study. Increased consumption of farmed mussels could also result in wider benefits for the environment. In addition to containing high levels of omega-3s, seafood includes a range of vitamins and minerals found in other meat sources, but greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of edible mussels are a fraction of that from the production of pork, beef or chicken.

Dr. Carboni added: "Harvesting rope-grown mussels does not affect marine biodiversity in the same way as commercial-scale fishing and, as a result, mussels could be a highly nutritious and omega-3-containing protein source for environmentally conscious consumers."

The research paper "Mussel consumption as a 'food first' approach to improve omega-3 status" is published in Nutrients.

Ingredients

1.5 kg mussels

1 fresh spring onion

200 g cherry tomatoes 

extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Tabasco

6 slices of homemade bread

parsley

Preparation

We begin the preparation of the sautéed mussels taking care of cleaning the mussels. Let's scrape them to remove algae residues. We remove the silky filaments pulling them away vigorously towards the top of the mussel. From time to time we place them in a bowl with cold water. We peel the onion and cut it into fairly thin slices. In a large pan add the onion and a little oil. Let it brown over high heat for a few moments. Then add the cherry tomatoes (cut in half) and two tablespoons of Tabasco. Let it always cook over high heat for a few minutes. Then, add a generous handful of chopped parsley, mussels and a cup of water (which will help create moisture inside the pan by opening them all more easily). Cover with a lid and cook them for two – three minutes (always over high heat) shaking the pan from time to time so that the heat reaches evenly to all the mussels. As soon as they begin to open, turn off the heat and sprinkle with a generous handful of chopped parsley. Transfer the mussels and the sauce into a glass (or ceramic) baking dish so that they do not continue cooking with the heat of the pan. Let's dedicate ourselves to the croutons (but I advise you to prepare them in advance so as soon as the mussels have finished cooking you will have them ready.) Cover the bottom of a pan with plenty of extra virgin olive oil. Heat the oil and, as soon as it is hot, brown the slices of bread, a little at a time. Turn them on both sides, until they become golden brown and crispy. Let's transfer them to absorbent paper. We serve the sautéed mussels hot accompanied by fried bread croutons. They will be perfect to collect all the delicious sauce and will make this dish even more delicious and special! They will be mouth-watering!

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