Mollusks, mussel, blue, raw

Blue mussels are the classic steaming shellfish, cooked in minutes in a covered pot with white wine, garlic and shallots until their shells pop open, then served in their own broth with crusty bread for dipping, the base of the French moules-frites tradition. They also work well in a tomato broth with chorizo, in a Thai-style coconut and lemongrass broth, tossed through linguine with garlic and chili, or grilled on the half shell with an herb butter. Their sweet, briny flavor and tender texture make them a quick centerpiece for a weeknight dinner, since a big pot of mussels goes from raw to table in well under twenty minutes.

Live mussels should be tightly closed or close when tapped; discard any that stay open or feel unusually heavy or light before cooking, and any that fail to open after steaming. Store live mussels in the refrigerator in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, never sealed in plastic or submerged in water, and cook within a day or two of purchase. A cup, 150 grams, provides just 86 calories with 11.9 grams of protein, 24 percent DV, and 22 percent DV of iron, though at 286 milligrams of sodium per serving it is worth keeping in mind when planning the salt in the cooking broth, since mussels bring their own sodium to the pot before any seasoning is added.