Austin, TX

For each lb of mussels:

Ingredients:

• approx. 1 lb. fresh mussels
• 1/2 cup good-quality chicken broth/stock
• 1 stalk fresh lemon grass - see preparation below
• 4-5 inch cube sized chunks of ginger
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves (if you can’t find, just leave out)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1-2 fresh thai chilies
• 2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. palm sugar
• 1/2 cup rough chopped fresh cilantro, stems and all (coriander to some of you)
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• handful fresh basil (rough chopped)
• lime wedges to serve (optional)

Preparation:

1. Rinse mussels under cold water, removing any grit or beards left on them. Reserve in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
2. Prepare the lemongrass by removing tough outer leaves and bulb at the end of the stalk. Finely slice and mince the lower 1/3 of the stalk. (If you have a pestle & mortar, you can slice then pound the lemon grass to soften it.) Chop the remainder of the stalk into 2-3 inch lengths.
3. Pour chicken stock into a deep pot that has a tight fitting lid. This was a nice opportunity to use our homemade chicken stock cubes from the freezer.
4. Add the minced lemon grass (including the stalk segments), ginger, plus the lime leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat.
5. Add the wine, vinegar, chilies, fish sauce, sugar, chopped basil and cilantro. Stir to incorporate.
6. Turn heat up to medium-high. When sauce is gently boiling, add the mussels. Stir them in, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove lid and gently stir the mussels. If some of them still haven’t opened, put the lid back on and allow to cook 1 more minute. (If they still don’t open, toss them)
8. Reduce heat to low and add the garlic, gently stirring it in.
9. Remove from heat. Taste-test the broth, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough. If too salty, add a squeeze or two of lime or lemon juice. If too sour, add 1-2 more tsp. sugar. If not spicy enough, add more fresh garlic and/or fresh chili.
10. When you’re happy with the taste, scoop or slide mussels into a large serving bowl (or individual bowls). Ladle broth over the mussels Add lemon or lime wedges on the side.
11. These mussels are wonderful on their own, or serve with a nice crusty bread to help soak up the juices. A good white or blush wine pairs nicely with this dish. We happened to have brought back a gorgeous Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay blend from Peity Flats in the Yakima Valley which I used in the mussels and also served along side it.

The broth was so good that my dinner companion ate half a loaf of bread sopping it up.

For the dipping sauce you only need about 2 Tablespoons per person. This is the basic formula I used:

1 part fish sauce to 3 parts lime juice
minced garlic
thai chilies
palm sugar

For this batch I mixed approximately:

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
6 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 Tablespoon palm sugar
1 Thai Chili
1 clove minced garlic

Yum!

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