Name: Steamed Mussels with Ginger and Scallions
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chicken stock; 2 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce; 2 teaspoons rice vinegar; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger; 2 medium cloves garlic, minced; 4 scallions, white and green parts, minced; 2 tablespoons grated lime zest; 4 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives or minced scallions; 1 lime, medium, quartered

Why This Recipe Works

For a steamed mussels recipe that was quick, flavorful, and grit-free, we began with rope-cultured and Great Eastern bottom mussels (a widely available variety), which we found to be the cleanest. Garlic in the broth balanced and enriched the flavor of the mussels. Simmering the broth for a few minutes before adding the mussels beefed up the flavor. When developing our steamed mussels recipe, we found that larger mussels need to cook a few minutes after they open to firm up, but that didn’t create any difficulty for us. It all evened out if we simply cooked them until all the mussels opened.

Before You Begin

This recipe is adapted from one by Mark Bittman, the author of Fish (MacMillan, 1995).

Instructions

Bring broth, soy sauce, vinegar, cayenne, ginger, garlic, scallions and lime zest to simmer in large pot; continue to simmer to blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to high. Add mussels; cover and cook, stirring twice, until mussels open, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on pot and mussel size.

Remove mussels from liquid, twist off and discard top shells, and put in large serving bowl. Pour broth over mussels, garnish with cilantro, chives, and lime wedges and serve immediately; rice is a good accompaniment.