Thai Basil Mussels Recipes

MUSSELS WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic in butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until mussels just open wide, 6 to 8 minutes. (Discard any mussels that have not opened after 8 minutes.) Transfer mussels with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl, then transfer cooking liquid to a blender along with cream, basil, and pepper and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Season sauce with salt and pour over mussels.

THAI RED CURRY MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven on the grates of the grill until shimmering. Add the lemongrass, curry paste, wine, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer, whisking. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and let steam until opened. During the last minute of cooking, add the cilantro and basil. Serve from Dutch oven into individual bowls, discarding the lemongrass.

MUSSELS WITH CHILI, GARLIC AND BASIL

Steps:

• Make a paste from the chilies, garlic and coriander using a mortar or small food processor.
• Stir fry this paste in a wok or frying pan with the oil for about one minute, use a pan you have a lid for and large enough to hold the mussels.
• Add the oyster and fish sauce, stir and then add the stock and the mussels.
• Cover and cook on a medium heat, or until the mussels have opened and are cooked.
• Taste the sauce or it needs extra fish sauce or water.
• Stir in the basil, arrange the mussels on a dish, discard any mussel that has not opened and pour the sauce over them.

THAI BASIL MUSSELS

Steps:

• Place mussels in a pan of cold water. Discard any that float. Drain, clean, and debeard remaining mussels.
• Place stock and lemongrass in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Add mussels and let steam, covered, until they open, 1 to 4 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.
• Transfer mussels to a bowl and sprinkle basil on top. Serve with another bowl alongside for discarded shells.

THAI BASIL SHRIMP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the stem portion from the lime leaves to remove and discard.
• Place the lime leaves along with all other sauce ingredients in a food processor or chopper. Process well to form an aromatic paste. Taste-test for sweetness/sour balance, adding more sugar to taste (you will adjust the other flavors later). Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons white wine as you go.
• Add the shrimp , stir-fry sauce and extra tablespoon of oil, if needed. Stir-fry 3 minutes, until shrimp are pink and plump.
• Turn down heat to low and fold in 1/3 cup chopped basil. Add the coconut milk a little at a time, taste-testing as you go (some people like this dish with coconut milk, and others prefer the more potent version without).
• Taste-test for salt and spice, adding more fish sauce if not flavorful or salty enough, or more lime juice if too salty. Add more coconut milk if too spicy.
• To serve it the way they do in Thailand, simply fry an egg in a little vegetable oil and lightly salt it.
• Tilt shrimp onto the plate. Add a generous topping of chopped fresh basil , and serve with Thai jasmine rice , topped with the fried eggs, if using. Often this dish is also accompanied with cucumber slices.