spicy mussels in white wine sauce

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!

• Ready In: 18 mins
• Serves: 2-6

Ingredients

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

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.