Thai Coconut Butter Mussels with Garlic Lemongrass Toast

Meet what might be the best mussels ever. Bold claim, but this recipe earns it.

Until a few years ago, mussels felt like restaurant food: a little fancy and, honestly, a little intimidating. That changed the first time I cooked them at home and realized they might be the easiest seafood there is. Toss them in a pot, steam for a few minutes, done.

You can flavor mussels a hundred ways, but this Thai version is the favorite. It is all about the sauce: butter, Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, and a splash of white wine. Buttery, spicy, creamy, and full of curry flavor. Then comes a side of garlic lemongrass butter toast, because when you have a pot of brothy mussels, you need something to soak it all up.

The One Secret

Cook the mussels in butter, and plenty of it. Seafood and butter go hand in hand, and a good-quality salted butter is what takes this dish over the top. Once the butter is handled, add the curry paste, coconut milk, and wine, bring it to a simmer, add the mussels, steam for a few minutes, and make the toast while they cook. Dinner in under thirty minutes, perfect for a warm summer evening on the porch.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/4 cup (60 g) Thai red curry paste
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly torn, plus more for serving
• Fresh lime wedges and sliced chilies, for serving

Garlic Lemongrass Toast

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced

Instructions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk, wine, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then add the mussels. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels have all opened. Discard any that stay closed. Stir in the basil.
2. Meanwhile, make the toast. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
3. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, lemongrass, garlic, basil, and a pinch of salt. Spread the butter over each slice of bread and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until toasted and golden.
4. Serve the mussels warm, topped with more basil, lime, and chilies, with the toast alongside for dipping. Enjoy!

Nutrition information is an estimate only. Calories: about 735 kcal per serving.