INGREDIENTS
20 very large mussels, cooked and chilled
8 tbsp of gremolata
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
1l Sunflower oil for deep frying
30g cornflour
30g plain flour
1 tbsp crushed black pepper
2 tbsp sesame seeds
150ml of ice cold soda water, from a new bottle
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp cold water
Green salad leaves, to serve
For the gremolata:
1 lemon, juice and zest only
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Recipe continues
METHOD
Combine the gremolata ingredients in a bowl. Stuff the mussels with the gremolata and leave on the side.
In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce the water and the juice of 2 lemon wedges and divide between 2 dipping saucers.
In a medium size saucepan, heat the oil for deep-frying to approx 190ºC/375ºF.
In the meantime sift the flour and corn flour in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Stir in the black pepper with the sesame seeds and start to pour in the cold soda water. Stir all together until just mixed in and still a little lumpy (make sure that the batter is very thin and almost transparent around the mussels).
Dip the stuffed mussels, one at a time into the batter and fry into the oil for no longer than 1 minute. Drain on some kitchen paper.
Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and remaining lemon wedges accompanied with your favourite green leaves.