Recipe: Mussels with Chorizo and Fennel

One of my favorite parts of a dish of steamed mussels is the flavor-infused briny brew. Therefore, having the appropriate "sop" for this sauce, to me, is crucial to their enjoyment. A freshly baked baguette is a given. But I often serve steamed mussels and their sauce on a bed of freshly cooked linguini.

Yield: 4-6 appetizer servings (4 main course servings if served over pasta)
Time: 25 minutes
Cost: $13-$17 (mussels are often on sale, so cost varies accordingly)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 links (1 pound) uncooked chorizo sausage, sausage removed from casing
• 1 large fennel bulb,cored and thinly sliced (reserve leafy fennel fronds for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed (discard any that will not close)

Directions

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and break up with a fork.
2. When the sausage is browned, stir in the garlic, fennel seeds and sliced fennel and sauté an additional 3-5 minutes. or until the fennel is just transparent and slightly limp.
3. Add the wine and tomatoes and let simmer briskly for 5 minutes.
4. Add the mussels to the pan. Cover and cook until the mussels open (1-4 minutes). Spoon mussels and broth into serving bowls, discarding any that did not open. Sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

 This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Dec. 31, 2010.