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Epicurious
Gourmet

Fried Beer-Battered Mussels with Two Sauces

3.8

(3)

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Fried Beer-Battered Mussels with Two SaucesRita Maas

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour

  • Yield

    Makes 8 to 10 hors d'oeuvre servings

Ingredients

For sauces

1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

For fried mussels

8 ounces (1 cup) beer (not dark)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
2 pounds mussels (preferably cultivated), cleaned and steamed , then shucked
Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Special Equipment

a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

  1. Make sauces:

    Step 1

    Put 1/2 cup mayonnaise into each of 2 small serving bowls and whisk mustard into 1 bowl. Whisk cilantro, lime juice, and curry powder into other bowl. Season dipping sauces with salt and pepper and keep chilled, covered.

  2. Make batter and fry mussels:

    Step 2

    Whisk beer into flour in a bowl until combined well.

    Step 3

    Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F.

    Step 4

    While oil is heating, pat mussels dry between layers of paper towels, pressing lightly.

    Step 5

    Dredge 10 mussels in batter, letting excess drip off, and fry in oil, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mussels as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season with salt. Fry remaining mussels in batches in same manner, returning oil to 375°F between batches.

  3. Step 6

    Serve mussels immediately, with dipping sauces.

TagsBeerAlcoholBeveragesMusselShellfishSeafoodStarterDinnerDeep FryGourmet