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September 2, 2014

Oceana Magazine: Chef’s Corner – Sam Talbot

Mussels

 

Each month, Oceana magazine features a sustainable seafood recipe and chef. This month’s Chef’s Corner heads to New York City to spotlight Sam Talbot’s seafood restaurant and delicious coconut mussel recipe. Take a look below, and check out the original recipe in the summer issue of Oceana magazine.

Chef Sam Talbot’s interest in seafood started early — he grew up fishing for blue crab and flounder along the North Carolina coast. Talbot is the former executive chef of the Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York, a nationally-acclaimed restaurant in the Hamptons. He then opened Imperial No. Nine, a sustainable seafood restaurant in New York City. In all of his restaurants, Talbot strives to serve sustainable, fresh seafood that is good for you, and for the oceans. This spicy, sweet and summery recipe for Thai coconut mussels was recently featured in The Perfect Protein. 

Sam Talbot’s Thai Coconut Mussels

Serves 4-6                        

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons smashed and finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons peeled, finely chopped gingerroot
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
2 tablespoons ground unsweetned coconut
1 to 1 ½ pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and washed clean
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon coconut amino acid (low sodium soy alternative)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon chili-garlic paste
3/4 cup coconut milk
Juice and zest of 2 limes
½ bunch cilantro, leaves hand torn, stems discarded
1/2 bunch of mint, leaves handtorn, stems discarded
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, toss in the garlic, gingerroot, shallot, and lemongrass and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add coconut, stirring frequently, until the shallot is translucent and the garlic and gingerroot have softened. Add the mussels to the pan, pour the wine over top, and cook for 1 minute. Then add the coconut aminos, fish sauce, and chili garlic paste, simmer for 1 more minute, and stir in the coconut milk.

Cover the pan and steam the mussels for 2 minutes, until they are open. Discard any unopened shells. Season the broth to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir in the cilantro, lime juice and zest and serve immediately.