Beer-Battered Mussels with Sauces

Number of Servings: 8

Source: Epicurious.com

Description

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp coarse-grained mustard
  • 2 tsp fresh lime juice
  • 1⁄5 tsp curry powder
  • 8 oz beer (not dark)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1⁄5 quart vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 lb fresh cultured blue mussels, steamed then shucked
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

Make sauces:

  1. Put 1/2 cup mayonnaise into each of 2 small serving bowls and whisk mustard into 1 bowl.
  2. Whisk cilantro, lime juice, and curry powder into other bowl.
  3. Season dipping sauces with salt and pepper and keep chilled, covered.

Make batter and fry mussels:

  1. Rinse fresh blue mussels in tap water.
  2. Whisk beer into flour in a bowl until combined well.
  3. Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F.
  4. While oil is heating, pat mussels dry between layers of paper towels, pressing lightly.
  5. Dredge 10 mussels in batter, letting excess drip off, and fry in oil, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mussels as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season with salt. Fry remaining mussels in batches in same manner, returning oil to 375°F between batches.
  6. Serve mussels immediately, with dipping sauces.

 

Notes

Cook time: 
40