Ingredients

• 2 cups quality chicken broth or stock
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, minced
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cup crisp, dry white wine, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc
• 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 fresh Thai red chilies, finely sliced
• 5-6 Tablespoons fish sauce, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 lb. fresh Prince Edward Island mussels, cleaned
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 Tablespoons cold water
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
• 1 baguette, toasted and sliced

Instructions

Pour the chicken stock into a large Dutch oven or braising pan. Carefully bruise the lemongrass with that back of your knife and then mince. Add the minced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high. Add the wine, rice vinegar, chilies, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cilantro. Stir well to combine.

When preparing mussels, scrub them with a brush and rinse well. Remove any beards, if present. Check the mussels for edibility: live mussels will have tightly closed shells or will close their shells when tapped. Discard any with broken shells or those that remain open.

When the sauce is gently boiling, add the mussels. Stir to coat them in the sauce, then cover with a lid. Allow the mussels to cook for 2–3 minutes. Remove the lid and gently stir the mussels. If any remain unopened, cover again and cook for 1 more minute. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth.

Push the mussels to the sides of the pan and pour in the dissolved cornstarch, stirring well to incorporate. The sauce should thicken within 30–40 seconds. As it thickens, gently stir the mussels to combine them with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic, stirring it gently into the sauce. Remove from heat after sauce has thickened. Add the fresh basil leaves.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove kaffir lime leaves. Serve immediately with warm baguette slices and lime wedges on the side.