Serves 2–4

When I'm in the seafood section of the grocery store and everything looks great, I start thinking about this simple stir-fry. I buy a little of everything that strikes my fancy, go home, and have a seafood feast.

Curried Mussels

2 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced

½ cup sweet white wine, such as Riesling

2 pounds mussels, debearded and rinsed well

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon (or to taste) curry powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

  1. In a pan large enough to hold all of the mussels, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened and translucent.
  2. Add the wine and the mussels and increase the heat to high. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels open, approximately 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the mussels from the pan, discarding any mussels that haven't opened. Strain the pan liquid through a strainer and return it to the pan. Bring to a boil, then stir in the sour cream and curry powder.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the lemon juice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings of the sauce if necessary with salt and curry powder.
  5. Return the mussels to the broth, coating them. Reheat and serve.

illustration Cleaning Mussels

Don't clean the mussels until just before you cook them. Scrape off any barnacles that are on the shells with a knife or scouring pad. Pull off any strands. (This is called debearding.) Throw out any mussels that are open. Place the mussels in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cool water. Use as soon as possible.