Sustainable Seafood Spotlight: PEI Mussels PEI Mussels

Sustainable Seafood Spotlight: PEI Mussels

Posted on September 30, 2021
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar Serves fresh and sustainable Prince Edward Island mussels.

PEI Mussels—a.k.a. marvelous little orange pillows of pleasure that hail from Prince Edward Island in Canada—are one of the most sustainable forms of seafood you can eat. Considered a Best Choice by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, the environmental impacts of farming mussels are minimal. 

Mussel farming on PEI happens on ropes suspended in the ocean, which means there is no dredging that might disturb other ocean life on the ocean floor. The growing mussels feed on plankton, purifying and filtering .5 to 1.25 gallons of pristine water around them in the process. Not only do the mussels not require any feed, but they also reduce carbon dioxide in the ocean as they grow their shells.  

RECIPE

CHEF SHEILA’S CHARDONNAY STEAMED MUSSELS RECIPE 

 

1 TBS.             vegetable oil

1 TBS.             shallot, julienned

1 tsp.               garlic, minced

1 lb                  mussels, cleaned 

Pinch               salt

Pinch               black pepper

1 TBS.             parsley, fresh, chopped

1 tsp.               thyme, fresh, chopped 

 5 oz                 chardonnay

1 oz                 lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

2 oz                 butter

1 slice              grilled bread, for dipping

 

-Add oil to a large sauté pan or medium sized pot

– Heat oil over medium high heat

– Add shallots, and garlic to hot oil. Stir frequently for one minute. Do not let them brown. If the garlic and shallots are browning too fast, turn down the heat

-Add mussels and stir

– Continue to toss and stir mussels, add salt, pepper, and herbs

-Deglaze with wine and lemon juice

– Cover pot with a lid to steam the mussels for 2-3 minutes

-Remove the lid and stir, making sure the mussels have popped open. 

– Stir in butter.

-Once butter has melted, pour mussels and broth into a large bowl. 

– Discard any mussels that did not open.

– Add grilled bread on the side

ENJOY!

 Did you know: Mussels can live up to half a century in the wild? The cultivated kind we eat, however, are far from quinquagenarians and are usually harvested around 12 to 18 months.


Jax Fish House was the first restaurant in Colorado and Missouri to be certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. Learn more about our commitment to sustainable sourcing.