Grilled Mussels with Cilantro Bath

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bunch cilantro, ends trimmed, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 4 Fresno or Corno di Toro* chiles
• 6 Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise
• 5 breakfast or other small radishes, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. 1. Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). In a blender, whirl together ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar, cilantro, oil, salt, and 1/4 cup water until very smooth. Pour into a large bowl; set aside.
2. 2. Arrange mussels evenly on cooking grates. Grill, covered, until half the mussels start to open, about 2 minutes. Starting with mussels that have opened the widest, quickly transfer them to the large bowl, being careful not to spill juices from inside shells, and contin­uing until remaining mussels open. (Discard any that stay closed.) Cover bowl with foil to keep warm.
3. 3. Grill chiles until slightly charred, turning often, 3 minutes. Slice into very thin rings. Grill cucumbers on cut side just until marks appear, about 3 minutes.
4. 4. Set 2 cucumber halves in each of 6 large, shallow bowls. Spoon mussels and cilantro bath over cucumbers. Sprinkle with radishes and chiles.
5. *Corno di Toro chiles, often called "bull's horn," are long, sweet Italian peppers sometimes sold at farmers' markets.