Sake-steamed Mussels

This is something sort of different for us. I’ve never cooked mussels before, but when I was choosing a recipe to make from Steamy Kitchen’s new book, I felt like trying something outside my comfort zone. I also knew Jack would never expect this, and I like to surprise him every now and then.

Surprise… mussels are so easy. 6 ingredients and about 5 minutes later we had perfectly steamed mussels in a fancy aromatic sake broth. I made some soba noodles to go along with them (and to soak up more of the broth – no sake goes to waste in our house).

Some other recipes from the book I’m excited to try are: sriracha sauce (as in – not from the bottle), blackened tofu with ginger ponzu-sauce, and the kimchi omelet.

the giveaway is now over


From Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair

sake-steamed mussels

 
Author:
Serves: serves 4 as an appetizer
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds fresh mussels
  • 11/2 cups sake or dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 shallot, sliced into very thin rings
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Scrub the mussels under cool water, discarding any with broken or cracked shells.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan, deep soup pot, or wok over high heat with the sake, ginger, garlic, and shallots. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the mussels and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mussels open.
  3. Toss in the basil and serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

 

147 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Rachel Cantin
    05.26.2024

    We didn’t like this one unfortunately 🙁

  2. Piofront
    07.18.2020

    I love a good Vietnamese noodle bowl. Mmm – and if I’m feeling crazy I get tofu, chicken (sorry veg heads), AND egg roll on it. I load it up with more mint, tomatoes, lettuce, and sprout and make it the meal of the century.

  3. Rachel Page from healthyrachelpage.blogspot.com
    02.01.2015

    This is one of my favorite dishes ever. I love scooping up the liquid in the shells, slurping with delight.

  4. Eleonore from Foodrustic.blogspot.com
    03.03.2013

    Love it! I love all asian and this one looks amazing!x
    Foodrustic.blogspot.com
    Eleonore

  5. selin
    02.14.2013

    my fav asian dish is general tso chicken 😀

  6. Joy
    02.14.2013

    Fresh, homemade spring rolls and a very nice seaweed salad!

  7. Natalie from dlitefulcravings.wordpress.com
    02.14.2013

    Don’t make me choose my favourite Asian dish, I simply CANNOT! It’s just deliciously impossible!! But anything to do with tofu/soy beans with veges and chillies, a good stew, mom’s cooking..black vinegared stewed pork trotters… see? Told you I can’t choose!

  8. Ashley
    02.13.2013

    I love steamed buns and pho. So much!

  9. Meghan
    02.13.2013

    Udon tops the list, especially in winter. It’s such a comforting dish with satisfying, plump noodles and rich, filling broth. I like mine with a poached egg floating on top!

  10. Asian cuisine is definitely in my top 3 and I definitely plan to make homemade siracha sauce soon. My favorite asian dish would have to simply be kimchee fried rice or any fried rice for that matter. Pretty much anything with noodles, rice, tofu, asian flavors and siracha! YUM!

  11. lauren
    02.13.2013

    kimchi, any curry, and spicy chicken with brown rice 🙂

  12. charlote
    02.13.2013

    Anything with eggplant. I love how it soaks up the juices of curry ecpecially!

  13. Heidi
    02.13.2013

    My favorite asian-inspired recipe is a take on an old bon appetit recipe: soba noodles mixed with tiny pieces of bacon or pancetta, greens or asparagus, and topped with poached eggs and sriracha. I could eat this constantly.

  14. nina
    02.13.2013

    Burmese tea-leaf salad is a favorite of mine!

  15. sandra from meadowscooks.blogspot.com
    02.13.2013

    I also love steamed pork buns and rice paper candy

  16. sandra from meadowscooks.blogspot.com
    02.13.2013

    Not very original, I know, but I just love sushi

  17. Jessica
    02.13.2013

    Thai place around the corner makes an amazing coconut, pumpkin and prawn soup.A small bowl of that plus an order of fresh veggie rolls has been my favorite treat lunch for a while now. But I also just love playing with the various flavors and developing new riffs on more conventional dishes. Also, can’t go wrong with a good soba/veggie/edammame bowl w miso/ginger dressing!

    • jeanine
      02.13.2013

      that soup sounds amazing! I’ll be giving that a try soon 🙂

  18. Rachael
    02.13.2013

    favorite food ever is Pad Thai hands down, had it on the streets in Bangkok as a kid and have never been able to get enough since.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.