Lemon grass and ginger mussels

By: James Martin
From: Home Comforts
Serves: 4
Photographer: Yuki Sigura

It used to be that you were advised to only buy mussels when there was an ‘r’ in the month. I never really knew where that came from, as I’ve been to loads of farms around the country producing mussels all year round, they’re cheap and packed full of flavour. Stuff such as lemon grass and ginger are commonplace in supermarkets nowadays and the flavours here with the coconut make it really tasty. Try not to reduce the liquid too much, as you will want to mop up the liquor left in the bowl with plenty of bread. Add a squeeze of lime juice if you want it, too.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
2kg	mussels, scrubbed, beards removed
50g	unsalted butter
2	shallots, finely chopped
2	lemon grass stalks, outer layers discarded, finely chopped
2	garlic cloves, finely chopped
10cm	piece of root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2	red chillies, finely sliced, (depending on their heat)
200ml	white wine
330ml	coconut water
160ml	coconut cream
2 tablespoons	olive oil
1 loaf	sourdough bread, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons	roughly chopped coriander leaves

Method

Wash the mussels in a colander to remove any dirt or grit and discard any of the beards (the tufty bits on the mussels). If you want to be fussy, scrape off any little barnacles with an old butter knife, too. Throw away any mussels that are not firmly closed, and don’t shut when tapped firmly on the side of the sink.
Place the butter in a large pan and, when it’s foaming, add the shallots, lemon grass, garlic, ginger and chilli(es) and cook without colour for five minutes until soft.
Increase the heat to high and add the wine, coconut water and coconut cream, bring to the boil, then add the mussels. Cover and cook for four to five minutes until the mussels open.
Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until hot. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread and char on each side until golden.
Add the coriander leaves to the mussels and stir through, then check the seasoning.
Serve the mussels with the charred bread, discarding any shellfish that have refused to open and warning your guests to do the same.

Tags:: James Martin; Saturday Kitchen; comfort food

Lemon grass and ginger mussels

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