FRIED BEER-BATTERED MUSSELS WITH TWO SAUCES

Fried Beer-Battered Mussels with Two Sauces image

Yield Makes 8 to 10 hors d'oeuvre servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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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

Steps:

Make sauces:
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.
Make batter and fry mussels:
Whisk beer into flour in a bowl until combined well.
Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F.
While oil is heating, pat mussels dry between layers of paper towels, pressing lightly.
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.
Serve mussels immediately, with dipping sauces.