This is an excellent dish to serve as a starter for a dinner party as it is quick and easy to prepare and you could serve it family style in the centre of the table for everyone to share or plate it up as I have done in the picture below.
Steamed Black Mussels
10 servings
2 kg Black mussels ( debeared)
300g Onions
500ml Dry white wine
20ml Olive oil
15g Lemon grass
2 cloves Garlic
10g Ginger
10g Fresh basil
20 slices Ciabatta
Coconut-basil Sauce
1 tin Coconut milk
1tsp Fish sauce
20g Fresh coriander leaves & stems
20g Fresh Basil leaves
2tsp Lime juice
30ml Soya sauce
5g Red chilies
Method:
Clean and rinse the mussels under cold water. Soak in cold water and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make the sauce, place all sauce ingredients in a food processor, process well.
Pour 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan, add in ginger, onions, garlic and kaffir lime leaf strips, sauté over medium-high heat.
Add in white wine to the pan, the drained mussels, stirring well.
Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and allow to "steam" for 2-3 minutes.
Take off the lid and stir gently. If most of the mussels have opened, they are ready to eat. Discard the ones that have not opened.
Reduce heat to low, remove lid and add the basil-coconut sauce ingredients with the cut lemongrass. Stir gently. As soon as the sauce is warm, it is ready to serve.
To serve, slide mussels into a bowl, pour in the sauce.
Sprinkle with basil leaves, and fresh coriander. Serve with grilled ciabatta.
Recipe and picture Copyright by Tamsyn Wells.
