Saffron Pumped Mussels

Skill Level
Preparation Time 15 minutes Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 Cost Per Serving $2.13
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Image of saffron pumped mussels.

Ingredients

1 lb (about 500 g)Mussels, washed and scrubbed (discard any open mussels)
2 clovesGarlic
1/2 cupShallots or Onion, small dice
1 tbspCapers
1 cupTomatoes, medium dice
2 tbsp eachFresh Parsley and Basil, roughly chopped
1 cupSaffron Tea (1/2 tsp saffron threads and 1 cup simmering water)
2 tbspFreshly Squeezed Orange Juice
1 tspOrange Zest
1 tbspOlive Oil
To tasteSea Salt and Ground Black Pepper
4 slicesCrusty Whole Grain Bread, toasted

Directions

  1. ​Add olive oil to a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients except for the parsley and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and place lid on pot.
  3. Cook for 5 minutes, remove lid and add parsley and basil.
  4. Serve with toasted, crusty bread.

Nutrition

  • ​Mussels are an excellent source of iron. The type of iron found in foods that come from animals is called heme iron, and is better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron, the type found in vegetables and whole grains.
  • Men and women over 50 need 8 mg of iron each day, and women ages 19-50 need 18 mg per day. Ask your doctor if you need extra iron from supplements, because it’s possible to get too much.
  • 2 ½ ounces of mussels (4 medium-sized mussels) provides 5 mg of iron, nearly twice as much as beef and almost as much as liver. Although liver is a less popular food choice, it is one of the highest food sources of iron.
  • Consuming some heme iron can help your body absorb more non-heme iron.