Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　35 to 40 large mussels, cleaned under running water (about 3 pounds)

　　1 cup dry white wine (optional)

　　Sea salt

　　Good pinch of Aleppo or Maras pepper or hot red pepper flakes, to taste

　　1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　Olive oil or olive and sunflower oil for frying

　　11/ 2 cups all-purpose flour

　　11/ 2 teaspoons baking powder

　　1 cup ouzo (see Note)

　　1/ 2 cup sparkling water, or more as needed

　　2 lemons, quartered

　　Vali's Skordalia or Roasted Garlic Skordalia

　　

Step 1

Place the mussels in a large pot over high heat and add the wine, if using. Cover and let the mussels steam for about 5 minutes, shaking the pot and stirring every now and then, until the shells open. Throw away the ones that stay closed. Shuck the mussels and discard the shells. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 hours.

　　

Step 2

Add salt and Aleppo pepper to the mussels, dust with about 2 tablespoons cornstarch,and toss to coat lightly. Heat about 2 inches of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Mix the remaining 1 cup cornstarch, the flour, and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the ouzo and sparkling water, whisking to incorporate. It should be runny. If too thick, add a little more sparkling water.

　　

Step 3

When the oil is very hot (about 350°F), dip a few mussels at a time in the batter,remove with tongs, and fry, turning them as they turn deep golden, about 1 minute total. Transfer to a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels to drain.

　　

Step 4

Serve with lemon quarters and skordalia.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 606.7 calories

　　66.1 calories from fat

　　7.3g total fat

　　1.1g saturated fat

　　0.0mg cholesterol

　　502.4mg sodium

　　124.4g total carbs

　　2.6g dietary fiber

　　32.4g sugars

　　9.2g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Notes:

　　Ouzo, Pernod, and raki are strong aniseflavored alcoholic drinks. If not available, substitute vodka or grappa, adding a pinch of ground star or green anise to the batter.

　　From Mediterranean Hot and Spicy by Aglaia Kremezi Copyright (c) 2009 by Aglaia Kremezi Published by Broadway Books.Aglaia Kremezi is an internationally known expert on Greek cuisine and author of The Foods of Greece, which won the Julia Child Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals for the best first cookbook. She has lectured around the world about Greek and Mediterranean food and runs a widely respected cooking school on the Greek island of Kea.