I confess, my favorite part 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.

A dish of freshly steamed mussels can be on your table in 10 minutes, if you desire. The one essential ingredient is a pot or pan of simmering liquid. That liquid can be anything from water to curry-infused coconut milk. Steaming mussels in a bath of white wine with butter, garlic and red pepper flakes is another very easy and delicious way of savoring them.

Besides the traditional fork, there are other ways to approach a dish of these magnificent mollusks. Check out Chef/Owner of Blue Ginger, Ming Tsai's, 30-second video approach to savoring this magnificent mollusk.

If you'd like to add a buttery richness to your broth, add a tablespoon of unsalted butter to the olive oil when heating. I purchased this evening's mussels and chorizo for tonight's dinnerFeed at Whole Foods. Bear in mind the sausage you choose for the recipe will greatly influence the flavor profile of the dish. I enjoy how the flavor of hot Spanish paprika, often used to make chorizo, permeates this recipe.

Yield: 4-6 appetizer servings (4 main course servings if served over pasta) Time: 25 minutes Cost: $13.00- $17.00 (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.