The New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel is among the most versatile shellfish on the planet. To prove it (more than we already have on our blog), we present these five recipes, each built around the mussel and designed to satisfy a specific culinary craving.
Each of these recipes is heavy on the Omega-3 fatty acids, making them a hot choice for cool relief of arthritis and other joint ailments. And, the best part about these recipes is that the prep is generally the same on each. Once you’ve cooked your mussels following the instructions below, simply top with the specified ingredients!
Now, it’s time to get cooking, because the road to someone’s heart begins in the kitchen. Added bonus if you can also help them to reduce joint pain and inflammation.
How to cook Green Lipped Mussels
Requirements:
- 5 pounds frozen New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels
- Cilantro
- Thyme
- Basil
- Salt
- Pepper
Before you begin cooking the mussels, they need to be defrosted and ready to go. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. Before adding the mussels, dice a small handful of basil, parsley, and thyme.
Add the fully shelled mussels and the diced ingredients to the pot. Cover and boil for five minutes or until the shells on the mussels have popped open.
Remove the mussels using a ladle. Remove the top half of the shell, leaving the mussel sitting in the bottom half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
As a bonus, you can serve the leftover broth as a side! Ladle a scoop into soup bowls, add a garnish of cilantro, perhaps some crushed pepper flakes, and you have yourself an easy warm-weather pleaser.
Tri-continent green-lipped mussel recipe
Take your New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels and add a dose of Indian and Mediterranean flare!
⅛ teaspoon Saffron
2 Roma tomatoes, diced into small pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
- Add saffron to olive oil. Drizzle over mussels.
- Top with diced tomato
Garlic green-lipped mussels with toast recipe
Garlic is a “love it or hate it” condiment, but for this recipe, we’re calling to the “go garlic or go home” crowd.
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp chopped garlic or dried garlic powder
Small fistful of chopped cilantro
Toast, buttered
- Add garlic to melted butter and drizzle over the mussels
- Top with cilantro
- Serve with a slice of buttered toast
Pesto green-lipped mussels with a side salad recipe
1 cup basil leaves
2 tbsp chopped garlic
⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
⅓ cup olive oil
Side salad ingredients to taste
- Combine above ingredients (minus side salad ingredients and parmesan) into a pesto sauce.
- Drizzle over the mussels
- Top with parmesan
- Serve with a light salad topped with olive oil and vinegar
Spicy green-lipped mussels recipe
If you have a penchant for spicy goodness, this recipe will light the fire.
2 tbsp Tobasco or your favorite hot sauce
2 tbsp diced cucumber
Black pepper
- Spritz mussels with hot sauce
- Finely dice cucumber and top mussels
- Add a pinch of pepper for flavor
Sauced green-lipped mussels with pasta recipe
For a hearty meal, add pasta and a tomato sauce. Do not de-shell mussels for this recipe.
1 package pasta, your choice
For sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
T tbsp onion, chopped finely
½ tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
¼ cup white wine
- Boil pasta in a large pot
- In a large frying pan, combine sauce ingredients. Stir in mussels and cook until shells pop open.
- Add salt and pepper
- Serve while hot
