Can I cook frozen mussels or are they ruined?

[Essie]

A friend has given me mussels which are raw, but frozen. Can these be used since they must be dead.

 

[kitchenelf]

Two questions -

1) - Were they taken out of their shell before they were frozen?

2) - How long have they been frozen?

 

[Essie]

Mussels

They have been frozen in the shell and I don't know how long they have been frozen.

 

[kitchenelf]

Well, now I'm not sure. Hopefully Bubba, who lives on the coast, will have an answer. I'm sorry

 

[BubbaGourmet]

As a matter of fact I do!
Mussels are one of those rare exceptions in the bivalve world of a mollusk that can be frozen without losing it's flavor or texture. Now, this is not to say that fresh aren't better...they are!...but the frozen ones are pretty darn tasty and when I need my mussel fix and trhe fresh just aren't available, I happily reach for the frozen. So throw them in a pot with some white wine, a little garlic, some red pepper and some Italian flat leaf parsley (the other kind is like eating fresh cut grass) and pass me a dern fork!

 

[Essie]

Thank you so much! I will do exactly as you suggested.

 

[Essie]

I steamed the mussels in white wine, garlic, shallot, red pepper and Italian parsley, as recommended. I served this with linguini. OH MYlll
Thank you all again.

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Essie;
I hope your "Ooh My" meant you liked them?

 

[Essie]

They were fantastic!!!

 

[Jermosh]

Frozen mussels are good, I like those new zealand ones allot

 

[amber]

I thought clams and muscles had to be live before you cook them.

 

[Psiguyy]

I often buy the frozen New Zealand Green Mussels on the half shell.

Once thawed, I place them on a baking sheet and smother each one with a bechamel sauce that's heavy on garlic and I broil them until bubbly and browned.

 

[kitchenelf]

Amber,

Yes, if you buy fresh clams, mussels, oysters, they should be alive. Shells should close if you "bother" them. But I have eaten frozen mussels (New Zealand Green Lip) but I have never had frozen (fresh) mussels. The Green Lips are great if the fresh ones are not available.

psiguy - how about a little sauteed spinach with some onion and bacon THEN top with that bechemel!!!! Oh, and garlic

 

[Psiguyy]

Kitchenelf, sounds delightful. I'll give that a try one of these days soon. Maybe this weekend.

I sometimes add a little parmesan cheese to it, but not usually. I keep hearing Italians yelling at me that you never put cheese on seafood.

 

[irngaston]

Mine have been frozen for 1 year. Are they still good?