This dish was inspired by a restaurant on one of our neighboring islands. St. Thomas, VI. Nestled high in the mountains on the northside of the island. You will find a random restaurant overlooking the Atlantic ocean called Restaurant 13. To say it was off the beaten bath would be an understatement but worth the crazy twists and turns around the north side was worth the ride! Now this was back in 2014 and things may have changed. However, if it is still around. I would highly recommend checking it out. We took our inspiration from 13 but made it our own and we hope you enjoy.
Coconut Curry Mussels
This coconut curry mussel dish has a very velvety sauce. I wish we could jar and sell this! But alas the gods do not see it in our future! So let me tell you about it instead. The mussels capture in its meat the flavors of the curry and garlic as well as the coconut milk and seasonings. When you bite into these mussels all of this glorious sauce is in every bite. The best part is when you are done...The magic continues because you are left with a bowl of sauce and bread so no sauce is left behind when you are done dipping your bread.
Ingredients
Mussels
- ½ tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- ¼ cup baby purple pearl onions (quartered or Shallots)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 1 ½ cups white zinfandel
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 lbs. of black mussels (scrubbed & debearded)
- ½ cup chopped leeks
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon of cilantro (garnished)
Dipping Bread
- 4 artisanal rolls
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients
- Preheat oven to 425°f
- Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet
- Place rolls on sheet pan and smear butter & olive oil on the rolls. Season to taste and place to the side.
- Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.
- Once butter is melted, Add baby purple pearl onions, garlic and curry powder to pot. Stir until fragrant and onions soften.
- Add coconut milk, wine, lemon juice, garlic salt, black pepper and bay leaves. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add your mussels and Increase heat to high and cover
- Let your mussels boil for roughly 6 minutes or until they open. Do not turn off heat!
- Once your mussels have opened. It is time to place your dipping bread in the oven to warm and toast. About 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Using tongs, place mussels into your bowls and continue to let the sauce boil (Discard any mussel that do not open)
- Boil sauce until it slightly thickens and add your tomatoes & leeks to the sauce
- Stir your sauce for about 2 minutes and season to taste. Remove your bay leaves from the sauce and discard. Remove pot from heat.
- Spoon sauce over mussels & garnish with cilantro.
- Take your bread out of the oven and place along side of bowl to use to soak up sauce.
- Enjoy!
