Recipe : Mejillones fritas en aceite de oliva

I got to watch James make these amazing fried mussels for dinner in his kitchen { photos here } last week - hands down one of the tastiest preparations of fresh mussels I have had so far!
James was kind enough to share the recipe to his inventive dish, so here are his step-by-step instructions along with some photos. ¡Buen provecho!

the ingredients.
2 pounds fresh mussels, beards removed
2 eggs
unbleached, all purpose flour
8-10 cups extra virgin olive oil for deep frying
(you can also buy a jug of extra virgin mixed with canola oil for sake of economy)
thermometer for measuring oil temperature
salt
parsley
1/2 lemon
1/2 bottle dry white wine
hot pepper dipping oil (see below for instructions)
(serves 6)

Place a large pot over a high flame. When very hot add the mussels.

Immediately add the wine and cover the pot. Give it a shake to evenly distribute the mussels.

Cook for 30 seconds or until the mussels have opened. Take care not to over cook the mussels as they can become rubbery. Drain mussels in a colander and allow to cool. 

With your hands open each mussel and - using the shell as a shucker - remove the mussel meat and place into a bowl. Discard the shells.

Now prepare the fry batter.
Crack open the eggs into a shallow dish and whisk with a fork until smooth.
Pour 1 cup of flour into a second shallow dish.

Heat your oil in a deep pot (the oil should not come up more than half way up the pot) to approximately 360˚F/180˚C degrees.

Drop each mussel into the flour. Shake off any excess and dip into the egg batter.

Drop mussels (work in batches if necessary) into the hot oil and fry until golden brown (approximately 1 minute).

Using a slotted spoon remove mussels to a dish lined with a paper towel. Repeat the process until all of the mussels are cooked. If the temperature drops below 350 wait for it to return to 365 before dropping the next batch.

When all of the mussels are done sprinkle with sea salt, squeeze over some fresh lemon juice and arrange on plates or a platter.
Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley and serve table-side with the hot and sour dipping sauce.

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Recipe : Hot & Sour Mussel Dipping Sauce

the ingredients.
1 dried spicy red pepper (available in most Mexican markets)
or 2 Serrano chilis, chopped finely with seeds
extra virgin olive oil
sherry vinegar

Add the chopped pepper to a small bowl of extra virgin olive oil. Add the vinegar and whisk together (the ratio should be 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar) but taste the mixture and adjust as you see fit.
Allow the oil to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Buen provecho!

Recipe coutresy of Cook with James ...