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Healthy: Our criteria for healthy recipes include (per serving): less than 550 calories for dinner; 5 g or less saturated fat; sodium mg less than the total calorie count; cholesterol 300 mg or less; minimal added sweeteners.
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Spicy Steamed Mussels with Lemongrass, Chile, and Basil

by Jennifer Armentrout

read reviews (2)

Shellfish is turning up on dinner tables more and more, and for good reason. Mussels cook in just minutes and are a smart, sustainable choice. Before buying mussels, take a sniff. They should smell like the sea. If they're really fishy smelling, don't buy them. Serves 4

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lemongrass mussels Sriracha sauce more more

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rounds (1/4 cup)
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, and lightly smashed (3/4 cup)
3 1/8-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
Zest of 1/2 lime, peeled off in strips with a vegetable peeler (about 5 strips)
2 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 red serrano (or other small hot red chile), sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha (optional)

Heat the oil in a large straight-sided sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, lemongrass, ginger, lime zest, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to medium low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium high and add the mussels and chile. Cover and simmer until the mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mussels to serving bowls, discarding any that haven’t opened. Add the basil to the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Add chili sauce to taste, if using. Ladle the broth over the mussels. Don’t eat the lemongrass or the ginger.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Roasted Eggplant with Chiles, Peanuts & Mint.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 240; Fat (g): 9; Fat Calories (kcal): 80; Saturated Fat (g): 1.5; Protein (g): 29; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3; Carbohydrates (g): 11; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 670; Cholesterol (mg): 65; Fiber (g): 0;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 98 , pp. 16

March 5, 2009

user reviews

Rate this Recipe

by grlup, 7/29/2012Easy and good! I've made this twice now and it's a keeper. Love the Thai flavor.

by CraftyFarmGirl, 3/10/2010This was great. Really easy and tasty. I changed it a little. When the broth was done simmering (before I added the chile and mussels) I added about 1/2 tsp. Thai red chile paste and 1/4 cup of light coconut milk. Personally I would remove the lemongrass and ginger after I removed the mussels and before I added the basil. Maybe that's just because my husband is a lughead and kept eating them and questioning why they were in there! I will definitely make this again.

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