Serve these steamed mussels in a refreshing and savory ginger oyster sauce, along with steamed asparagus and baked french fries. It’s a lovely weekend meal that you can make with minimal effort. Perfect for a romantic dinner, a small party, or a cozy brunch.
Ingredients
2tablespoonsolive oil
6 to 8asparagus spears
1large thumb ginger
2pound (1 kilogram)mussels
1/4cupShaoxing wine(or Japanese sake, or dry sherry)
Remove the tough skin on the lower third of each asparagus spear with a peeler.
Chop half of the ginger into thin slices. Mince the rest of the ginger.
Rinse mussels with cold tap water.
Heat olive oil in a 5-quart dutch oven or a large pan (do not use a nonstick skillet, the mussels will damage the coating) until warm. Add asparagus. Cook until the surface is charred. If the asparagus is not cooked through yet, add a tablespoon of water and cover. Let steam for a minute, until tender. Transfer to a serving plate.
You should have enough oil in the pan. If not, add a tablespoon of oil. Add the sliced ginger and turn to medium high heat. Stir a few times until fragrant.
Add mussels into the skillet. Pour Shaoxing wine over the mussels. Stir a few times. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover immediately. Turn to medium heat when the steam starts coming out. Steam until the mussels open, 5 to 8 minutes. Gently shake the pan a few times during cooking.
Transfer mussels to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Save the juice in the pot.
Add the remaining minced ginger, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil.
Pour a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the cooked asparagus. Pour the remaining broth over the mussels.
Garnish with green onion and serve warm with baked french fries.