Farmed Blue Mussels

musselsFor some parents, mussels don’t come to mind as the top kid-friendly shellfish. But believe it or not, the KidSafe Seafood team has spoken with a number of moms who report that their children have grown up enjoying bowls of steamed mussels.

With a lightly sweet flavor—somewhere between a clam and an oyster—mussels can be prepared in dishes that appeal to both children and adults.

How to shop for it

Look for blue mussels in your grocery store or fish market in a variety of ways:

  • Fresh “shucked” mussels, which are mussels that have been taken out of their shells. They should be plump, with a clear liquid. The smaller ones tend to be more tender than the larger. Store them in the refrigerator right away and use within a day or two.
  • Frozen, as meats or pre-cooked in the shell.
  • In cans, either smoked or plain, just like clams.
  • Or live mussels, still fully enclosed in their dark-blue shells, which are available seasonally, winter through early spring. Steam them in a simmering pot of broth until all the shells open. Like the “shucked” mussels, store in the refrigerator and use within a day or two.

How to cook it

With a moderate flavor and firmer texture than clams, they can be substituted for clams in a variety of dishes. (Note that clams could not be added to the KidSafe Seafood list at this time because they have not yet been sufficiently tested for contaminants.)

Consider tossing them with rice and peas (or your child’s favorite vegetables) for a kid-friendly version of paella. Or you can substitute mussels in your favorite “linguine and clams” recipe. They also go well in chowders, soups, and stews.

KidSafe Seafood’s chef Michel Nischan recommends chopping them up into small pieces and mixing them into kid-friendly dishes—such as chicken salad—to add more nutrition and slowly introduce them to children.

More about Blue Mussels

Mussels are farmed around the world, but four types account for the bulk of what you’ll find in your stores: blue, Mediterranean, green, and New Zealand greenshell. Of these, only blue mussels have been tested for mercury and PCBs and found to meet KidSafe Seafood criteria. The blues are also an ocean-friendly choice. They are farmed in the U.S. and Canada according to high environmental standards. As such, they are the only ones recommended as KidSafe Seafood.