spicy mussels in white wine sauce

chia's Note:

this recipe is from an old gourmet magazine. i made it last night and just loved it, quick, easy and the heat can be adjusted to taste. serve this with crusty french bread to get all the broth. this can be an appetizer for 6, but i can almost eat it all myself!

• Total Time: 18 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 1⁄3; cup olive oil
• ½ onion , thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic , chopped
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 slices lemons , 1/4 inch thick
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 ½ lbs fresh mussels , scrubbed,debearded
• ½ cup chopped seeded tomato

Directions:

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and salt; sauté until onion is light brown, about 4 minutes.
3. Add wine, lemon slices and 1/4 cup parsley; bring to boil.
4. Add mussels.
5. Cover pot and cook until mussel shells open, stirring once to rearrange mussels, about 6 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open.
6. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large shallow bowl.
7. Boil broth in pot until reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes; season to taste with pepper.
8. Pour broth over mussels.
9. Sprinkle tomatoes and remaining parsley over.

Reviews

[yamakarasu]

This was wonderful and so incredibly quick and easy! I didn't have fennel seed, so I had to leave that out, but I'll definitely have to pick some up and try it again! Everyone loved this. Thanks :)

[iris5555]

Oh my, oh my, oh my. This is ambrosial. I loved the addition of fennel to the mussels. I did add less red pepper than indicated but the amount I did use added plenty of kick.

[Jewelies]

Absolutely YUMMY! I reckon this is one of the best recipes I have ever tried. Love the flavour that the fennel seeds give to this yummy broth. We had a mix of different seafood dishes tonight but this was the only one that I couldn't stop eating. Used a tin of roma tomatoes instead of fresh. Chia, we love your recipes!