Steamed Mussels with Coconut Milk and Thai Chiles
These are very hot little firecrackers from the orient. They can be used to add spice to almost any oriental dish. They dry very easily and can be stored and used this way for a long time.
Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 Thai chiles, thickly sliced
1-1/2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
two 13 1/2 oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk
Juice of 2 limes
Salt
12 oz. bottle lager
5 pounds mussels, scrubbed
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the garlic, chiles, ginger, cilantro, lime zest and olive oil and process into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the coconut milk and lime juice, then season with salt.
In a large soup pot, bring the lager to a boil over high heat. Boil until it reduces to about 1/2 a cup, about 7 minutes. Add the mussels, cover and cook, shaking the pot a few times, until the mussels just begin to open, about 4 minutes.
Uncover the mussels and stir in the coconut milk mixture. Cover and cook the mussels, shaking the pot a few times, until all of the mussels open, about 8 minutes. Spoon the mussels and broth into bowls and serve.
Recipe from Food and Wine Magazine, September 2005.