INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small white onion, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 pounds mussels, washed and picked over
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a pot large enough to accommodate all of the mussels when they open. Add the onion and curry and sauté about 2 minutes.
2. Add the mussels, coconut milk, and wine. Cover and cook over high heat until the mussels open, about 4 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add the basil. Toss to mix. Serve in large bowls as is or with bread to soak up the broth.
CHOOSING MUSSELS
Mussels, like all shellfish, should be closed or close when they are tapped. They should be heavy for their size and smell like the sea. They also should have a federal shellfish tag attached to them that tells the consumer when the shellfish was harvested. Ask your fishmonger to show you this tag, and do not choose shellfish that have been out of the water for more than four days.