How to boil steamed seafood
Poaching seafood is a great way to preserve its flavor and texture, especially with firm fish like salmon, tuna, halibut, cod, and swordfish. The only drawback is that it does not take on any flavors during cooking, as when it is marinated and fried. Therefore, boiled seafood usually requires a sauce of some kind.
But if you boil seafood in seasoned vegetable broth, fish broth, or water with a little clam juice, it will take on a subtle herbal flavor.
Watch the clock to prevent overcooking and keep the simmering liquid on low heat. Severe boiling will break up the tender flesh of the fish.
The best way to cook seafood in the shell – oysters, mussels, crabs – is to steam it or boil it. The former gives a slightly better texture and flavour. Steaming calls for the use of a rack or basket to keep food off the bottom of the pot.
The steamed mussels recipe is as basic as it is and also goes well with baby clams or clams crestoni. The Cherrystone oyster is the largest of these bivalves. Depending on their size, it takes 8-10 minutes to open them with steam. When you master this cooking technique, you can season the broth any way you like.
Steamed mussels
Preparation time: about 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, scattered, and chopped, or 1 cup canned chopped tomato
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups dry white wine or chicken broth
3 long sprigs fresh thyme
large red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
2 pounds mussels, peeled and chopped
1⁄3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Crispy French baguette or sliced Italian bread
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a large 6- to 8-quart saucepan over medium heat until the fat begins to shimmer.
Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes are softened.
2. Add wine or chicken broth, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cover the pot, raise the heat to high and simmer the broth.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes to blend flavors and reduce flavors slightly.
3. We raise the fire to a high heat and add the mussels.
Cover the oysters and cook until they pop open, 4 to 6 minutes, turning gently once into the broth. Discard any mussels that do not open.
4. Use a perforated spoon to transfer the mussels to a large serving bowl.
5. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and parsley to the broth and stir over medium heat until the butter melts.
Pour the hot broth over the mussels and serve with bread to soak up the sauce.
Per serving: 617 calories (from 180 fats); fat 20 g (saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 105 mg. Sodium 1,282 mg. carbohydrates 46 g (dietary fiber 3 g); Protein 43 g.
Replace 1 medium shallot or 4 chopped green onions with the onions. Replace the parsley with fresh chopped basil. Add a large pinch of saffron threads to the steaming broth. Replace beer or bottled clam juice with white wine. Add 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger to the boiling liquid. Instead of serving with bread, toss oysters and broth over a bowl of hot cooked pasta.