Lemon Fennel Mussels Food

LEMON-FENNEL MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot with a lid over medium heat. When hot, add shallots; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in fennel and 1 teaspoon salt. Season generously with pepper. Saute fennel until it begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Raise heat, and add lemon juice and wine. Bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is reduced by a quarter, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in mussels, and cover. Cook mussels until they just open, stirring halfway through to move the ones at the bottom to the top, 4 to 6 minutes. Discard any mussels that haven't opened after 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. If serving immediately, stir in parsley; if serving at room temperature, let cool slightly before adding parsley.

CREAMY MUSSEL STEW WITH PEAS, FENNEL AND LEMON

Steps:

• Chop and reserve 1/4 cup fennel fronds. Peel and discard the outer layers from the bulb, then finely chop the bulb and coarsely chop the stems.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped fennel bulb, leek and garlic cloves. Cook until the fennel and leek are golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the fennel stems, wine and Pernod. Cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 2 minutes.
• Add the mussels to the pot. Cover tightly and cook until most of the mussels have opened, 5 to 7 minutes (discard any remaining closed mussels). Transfer to a large bowl and cover loosely with foil.
• Heat the broiler. Strain the liquid in the pot through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, pressing down on the solids with a spoon. Add the stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the peas and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the crème fraîche, lemon zest, salt and chopped fennel fronds. Cover to keep warm.
• Drizzle the bread with oil and place it under the broiler until just golden, about 1 minute. Place a slice of bread into each of two bowls. Mound the mussels on top of the bread, then ladle the broth over everything.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH FENNEL AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and fennel; cook until just soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and season with salt and pepper; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are just soft, about 4 minutes. Add the vermouth and boil to reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes and tarragon, then cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water and the mussels. Raise the heat to high, cover and cook until the mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes. (Check halfway through and transfer any open mussels to a serving bowl.) Transfer all the mussels to a serving bowl, discarding any that do not open. Season the sauce with pepper and, if needed, salt, and pour over the mussels. Serve with the bread.
• Photograph By Antonis Achilleos

CREAMY MUSSEL STEW WITH PEAS, FENNEL, AND LEMON

Steps:

• Chop the fronds from the fennel bulb, reserving 1/4 cup of the fronds,chopped.
• Peel off the outer layer of the bulb, then finely chop the bulb and coarsely chop the stems.
• In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat and add the chopped fennel bulb, leek, and garlic; cook until the fennel and leek start to turn golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the pepper flakes, cook 30 seconds; stir in the fennel stems, wine, and Pernod.
• Scrape any browned bits from the bottom and continue cook 2 minutes.
• Add the mussels, cover, and cook until they have opened, 5 to 7 minutes; discard any that do not open and, using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a large bowl and loosely cover with foil.
• Preheat the broiler; strain the liquid in the pot into a smaller saucepan, using a spoon to press on the solids to get the most liquid out of them.
• Add the stock to the saucepan and simmer over medium heat.
• Stir in the peas and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes; whisk in the creme fraiche, lemon zest, salt and reserved fennel fronds (cover to keep warm).
• Drizzle the bread with more of the oil and place it under the broiler; toast until just golden, about 1 minute.
• Place bread into serving bowls, mound with mussels, then top with the broth.