Mussels steamed with leeks, curry powder, mango chutney, and cream.
Chef's notes
Mussels only need to be steamed in a tiny amount of liquid. When they open during cooking, they release their own liquid which adds a lot of liquid to the base sauce. If there is too much liquid in the sauce before adding the mussels, the liquid from the mussels will dilute the sauce. Take care when seasoning the sauce. The liquid from the mussels tends to be quite salty and will season the sauce on its own.
Steps
1
Preparing the Mise en Place
Ingredients
2 shallots
2 leeks
1/2 bunch cilantro
To prepare your mise en place, first mince the shallots. Then cut off the white and light green part of the leeks. Cut down the middle and rinse to remove any grit. Thinly slice. Next, roughly chop the cilantro and set aside.
2
Preparing the Mussels
Ingredients
2 lb mussels
To prepare the mussels, scrub them clean and remove any beards. Place into a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Store the mussels in the refrigerator while you make the sauce.
3
Making the Sauce
Ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 tbsp mango chutney
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
To start the sauce, preheat a wide, large pan over low heat. Add the butter, followed by the shallots and leeks. Let this cook for about a minute and then add the curry powder and stir. Add the white wine, turn the heat to medium and let reduce until there is almost no liquid left. Next, add the cream and the mango chutney.
Turn up the heat to medium high, stir and let reduce until the sauce thickens. Next, season to taste, keeping in mind that the mussels can be salty themselves.
4
Cooking the Mussels
Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, add the mussels and stir to coat them with the sauce. Then immediately cover with a lid and turn the heat down to medium. Let cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the mussels open. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately.
