15 MINUTES
4 SERVINGS
Gorgeous black-shelled mussels contrast so elegantly with a spiced, pale yellow stock. The only trick is careful handling of your mussels. Purchase them within a couple days of cooking, and store them in the fridge in a strainer set above a big bowl, with a clean damp kitchen towel on top and a handful of ice on top of the towel. Wait to clean them shortly before cooking; it doesn’t take long, and once you start cooking, you’ll be impressed with how quickly this elegant dish comes together.
• 2½ pounds mussels
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large leek (white and light green parts, well rinsed), cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1½ teaspoons Madras curry powder
• ½ cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Clean the mussels under running water. Discard any broken shells or mussels that will not close quickly when gently squeezed. Using a clean kitchen towel, pinch and pull away any stringy beards from the mussels.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the leek slices, season them with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mussels, coconut milk, and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that have not opened).
Serve the mussels topped with cilantro.
ROASTED YUKON GOLD POTATOES
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes into wedges, leaving the skins on for extra flavor, texture, and fiber. Toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper, and lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 25 to 28 minutes.