Eat this, save the world!

When it comes to environmentally responsible eating, we’re often told what not to eat: Don’t eat tuna because it’s overfished. Don’t eat Chilean sea bass because it’s bottom-trawled. Don’t eat beef because of carbon dioxide emissions from cows.

But what we’re not often told is that putting jellyfish on the menu will help save the world.

Eddie Lin, author of “Extreme Cuisine” and the blog deependdining.com explains what else we should be eating if we want to live in a truly green way (hint: a certain rat-like creature from Louisiana makes for a great stew).

And Taras Grescoe, author of the book and accompanying blog “Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood”, tells us what shellfish and sea critters are ideal for an environmentally friendly diet.

Taras’ Moules à la Provençale

Serves 4

* 3 pounds of mussels, debearded (scrape away any algae on the outside) and rinsed
* 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 2 finely chopped shallots
* 8 roma tomatoes, quartered and then diced
* 1 red pepper, chopped
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 teaspoon of thyme
* 3/4 cup tomato juice
* Sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
* Pepper
* Several fresh basil leaves, cut in strips

Heat the olive oil in a pot, lightly saute shallots, garlic, red pepper, diced tomatoes, and season with sea salt and pepper. Add thyme and bay leaves and let the tomatoes cook until they’re reduced to a well blended sauce. Pour in the tomato juice, add the mussels, and then cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until all the mussels have opened (throw away those that remain shut), stirring occasionally. Add basil at the last minute. Serve in bowls?preferably with mayonnaise-topped french fries on the side.