Curry Mussels

Thai curries and mussels are definitely a few of our favorite things so it was only a matter of time before they found themselves together in the same dish.  This is a great one pot meal for kicking back with a bottle of wine and enjoying with your favorite people.  It may be a little richer than the typical wine-based mussels dishes, but definitely a fun and worthwhile variation to throw into the mix.  We seem to find ourselves cooking mussels more and more these days; not only are they a breeze to steam up, but they’re eco-friendly, inexpensive, and loaded with nutritional value. Doesn’t get much better than that!

 Curry Mussels
Adapted from Feast magazine
Serves 2-4

2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 can coconut milk
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 limes, juiced
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP yellow curry powder
1/2 c. fish stock or water
2-3 TBSP red curry paste (highly recommend the “Mae Ploy” brand which comes in a 14-oz container)
1 baguette, sliced, basted with olive oil and toasted

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees and move rack to lowest level.
• Combine coconut milk, garlic, tomatoes, onion, and lime juice in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
• In a 12-inch cast iron skillet (or other heavy bottom, oven safe pan), add butter and oil over medium heat.  Once heated, add onions and cook 3-4 minutes.  Turn heat to low and stir in curry powder followed by the coconut milk mixture.  Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Add fish stock along with red curry paste and stir to combine.
• Add mussels to skillet and cover with aluminum foil.  Transfer to the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes until mussels have opened.
• Serve with toasted slices of baguette.