Cook the Book: Curried Mussels

Ingredients

• 5 cups rice white cooked
• 2 tablespoons curry powder 
• 1.5 cups wine dry white
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 3  garlic clove minced
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.7 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 6 servings hot sauce store bought
• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 6 pounds mussels rinsed scrubbed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 3 medium tomatoes cored peeled seeded chopped
• 2 large onion yellow chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• pot

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop in the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in two thirds of the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the curry powder, ginger, and cinnamon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.
4. Discard any mussels that feel heavy (which means they're full of sand), have broken shells, or don't close when tapped.
5. Pour the wine into a roomy pot. Clatter in the mussels, cover tightly, and cook over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells pop open, 7 to 10 minutes. Toss out any mussels that refuse to open, then pluck all but 18 from their shells. Strain the mussel liquid.
6. Add 1 1/2 cups of the mussel liquid to the skillet with the tomato mixture, then add the cream and bring to a boil over high heat to thicken slightly. If you prefer a brothy curry, add more mussel liquid; if it's a creamy curry that you're after, reduce the mixture more. Season with piri-piri sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the shelled mussels.
7. Spoon the rice in to 6 bowls and top with the mussels.
8. Garnish each with mussels in their shells, and shower with the remaining tomatoes and the cilantro. Pass the piri-piri sauce at the table.