Baked Tahong / Sizzling Adobong Tahong

Description:
this can be a main dish or pulutan, depending on your preference. i'll be dicussing the version i prepared last November 29, 2008 as well as other variations/twists to this dish. the photo was taken by my friend, Cher Vinluan. thanks, Cher. =)

Ingredients:
buttered/sauteed version:

4 kilos tahong (mussels), cleaned
ginger, sliced into thin strips
4 tbsps. cooking oil
1 cup water
6 tbsps. butter or margarine
garlic, finely chopped
salt
pepper
a few pcs. fresh red chili or 2 tsps. chili-garlic oil (optional)
1 small bar of cheese

adobo/sizzling version:

4 kilos tahong (mussels)
ginger, sliced into thin strips
4 tbsps. cooking oil
1 cup water
6 tbsps. pork lard
garlic, finely chopped
red onion, coarsely chopped
salt
pepper
soy sauce
vinegar (plain or spiced, whichever you prefer)
2 pcs. fresh chopped green chili or 2 tsps. chili-garlic oil (whichever you prefer)
1 small bar of cheese


Directions:
for the buttered/sauteed version:

put the 4 tbsps. of cooking oil in a pan big enough to contain your mussels. saute your ginger for a few seconds and then add the mussels and water. cover your pan and let the mussels simmer until they open up. remove them from the fire and then let them cool down a bit. aftewards, remove the mussels from their shells and set them aside. in a heated pan, put your butter or margarine (whichever you prefer) and saute your garlic until golden brown. add the mussels and season with salt and pepper according to your taste. cook them for about 4-5 minutes and then set them aside. grate about half of the cheese at the bottom of your baking pan or dish, and then arrange the mussels on top. do not include the excess liquid in the pan/dish. grate the rest of the cheese on top of the mussels and then bake until the cheese melts. serve and enjoy afterwards.

for the baked adobo/sizzling adobo version:

put the 4 tbsps. of cooking oil in a pan big enough to contain your mussels. saute your ginger for a few seconds and then add the mussels and water. cover your pan and let the mussels simmer until they open up. remove them from the fire and then let them cool down a bit. aftewards, remove the mussels from their shells and set them aside. in a heated pan, put your pork lard and saute your garlic and onions. saute until the garlic is brown and the onions are transluscent. add the mussels and season with salt and pepper according to your taste. cook them for about 4-5 minutes and then season them with your soy sauce and vinegar. simmer until your liquid is reduced, and then add the chili. set your adobo aside. grate about half of the cheese at the bottom of your baking pan or dish, and then serve your adobo on top. grate the rest of the cheese on top of the adobo and then bake until the cheese melts. serve and enjoy afterwards.

OR

you can just serve it on a sizzling plate with some onions, cheese and more chili. the dosage is all up to you.

as i've said earlier, this could be your main dish or pulutan, depending on your preference. personally, i'd enjoy as a variation of our "-silog template" or just gorge on it while having ice-cold red horse, san mig, or my old school lambanog, Quezon style.