WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Belgians are particularly enamored of mussels and have developed many different flavor combinations for cooking them. This highly aromatic version, with white wine and fennel, is one of the most
popular and classic offerings. Simmering the broth for a few minutes before adding the mussels allowed the fennel both to soften and to flavor the broth. The garlic in the broth balanced and enriched the flavor of the mollusks and simmering the broth for a few minutes before adding the mussels concentrated its flavor. A toasted baguette was perfect for soaking up the richly flavorful liquid. When cleaning the mussels, discard any with cracked or broken shells or a shell that won’t close when lightly tapped.
Serves: 4
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (12-inch) baguette, cut on bias into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices
- 1 fennel bulb, stalks
- discarded, bulb quartered, cored, and chopped
- 1½ cups dry white wine
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine butter, garlic, 2 tablespoons tarragon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Spread 5 tablespoons butter mixture on 1 side of
baguette slices. Place slices, buttered side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Set aside. - Melt 1 tablespoon butter mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add fennel, cover, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and ½ teaspoon salt, bring to simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add mussels, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels open, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, transfer mussels to individual serving bowls using slotted spoon, leaving remaining broth in pot; discard any mussels that refuse to open.
- Broil baguette slices until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons butter mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon into broth in pot until melted and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour broth over mussels and serve with toasted baguette slices.
