Fried Mussels in Ouzo Batter

Fried Mussels in Ouzo Batter
Fried Mussels in Ouzo Batter might be a good recipe to expand your hor d'oeuvre recipe box. Watching your figure? This dairy free and pescatarian recipe has 486 calories, 19g of protein, and 5g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 6. If you have olive and sunflower oil, lemons, flour, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the dry white wine you could follow this main course with the White Wine Frozen Yogurt as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.

Instructions

1
Place the mussels in a large pot over high heat and add the wine, if using. Cover and let the mussels steam for about 5 minutes, shaking the pot and stirring every now and then, until the shells open. Throw away the ones that stay closed. Shuck the mussels and discard the shells. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 hours.
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MusselsMussels
Pasta ShellsPasta Shells
WineWine
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PotPot
2
Add salt and Aleppo pepper to the mussels, dust with about 2 tablespoons cornstarch,and toss to coat lightly.
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Aleppo PepperAleppo Pepper
Corn StarchCorn Starch
MusselsMussels
SaltSalt
3
Heat about 2 inches of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
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Olive OilOlive Oil
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Frying PanFrying Pan
4
Mix the remaining 1 cup cornstarch, the flour, and the baking powder in a bowl.
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Corn StarchCorn Starch
All Purpose FlourAll Purpose Flour
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BowlBowl
5
Add the ouzo and sparkling water, whisking to incorporate. It should be runny. If too thick, add a little more sparkling water.
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Sparkling WaterSparkling Water
OuzoOuzo
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WhiskWhisk
6
When the oil is very hot (about 350°F), dip a few mussels at a time in the batter,remove with tongs, and fry, turning them as they turn deep golden, about 1 minute total.
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MusselsMussels
DipDip
Cooking OilCooking Oil
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TongsTongs
7
Transfer to a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels to drain.
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Paper TowelsPaper Towels
8
Serve with lemon quarters and skordalia.
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LemonLemon
1
Ouzo, Pernod, and raki are strong aniseflavored alcoholic drinks. If not available, substitute vodka or grappa, adding a pinch of ground star or green anise to the batter.
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GrappaGrappa
PernodPernod
AniseAnise
VodkaVodka
OuzoOuzo
2
Taste
3
Book, using the USDA Nutrition Database
4
Aglaia Kremezi is an internationally known expert on Greek cuisine and author of The Foods of Greece, which won the Julia Child Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals for the best first cookbook. She has lectured around the world about Greek and Mediterranean food and runs a widely respected cooking school on the Greek island of Kea.

Recommended wine: Chardonnay, Muscadet, Riesling

Shellfish works really well with Chardonnay, Muscadet, and Riesling. Buttery chardonnay is great for scallops, shrimp, crab, and lobster, while muscadet is a classic pick for mussels, oysters, and clams. If you've got some spice in your shellfish, a semi-dry riesling can balance out the heat. You could try A to Z Chardonnay. Reviewers quite like it with a 4.2 out of 5 star rating and a price of about 15 dollars per bottle.
A to Z Chardonnay
A to Z Chardonnay
The 2010 A to Z Chardonnay opens with aromas of white flowers, tangerine, lime, quince, wet stone and minerals that develop further into nutmeg, honey, green apple with hints of ginger. A mineral laden attack is bright, mouthwatering and intense. The nuanced mid-palate carries on with flavors that mirror and amplify the aromatics. The finish is long, clean, crisp and juicy with flavors of honeysuckle, citrus and wet stone. This wine exemplifies classic Oregon steely Chardonnay. 2010 was an exceptional vintage for white wines in Oregon and this sophisticated terroir driven wine is no exception; bright, tangy and intense it will deliver over the next 5 years.
DifficultyHard
Ready In45 m.
Servings6
Health Score37
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