Coconut Mussels
A fabulous mussel recipe by Sea Forager CSF member Harvey Steiman!
2 pounds mussels in the shell
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup vermouth
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pinch each of salt and red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus another couple of tablespoons for garnish
Rinse the mussels, and discard any with broken shells.
In a large saucepan or small pot (at least 5-6 quarts) melt the coconut oil over moderate heat and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, vermouth, lime juice, salt, pepper flakes, and cilantro. Raise the heat, and when it comes to a boil add the mussels.
Cover the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes. (I remove the lid after 3 minutes and start removing the opened mussels to a large bowl so they don't overcook.)
Discard any mussels that don't open, and pour the liquid over the mussels. Sprinkle with additional cilantro for garnish.
(My wife prefers this as a soup, with the mussels removed from their shells, easy to do with your fingers.)