Mussels with Fennel and Garlic

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  olive oil, divided
• 5  dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1  bay leaf
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2  cup  diced onion
• 1  teaspoon  crushed fennel seeds
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  dry white wine
• Crusty French bread

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mussels and bay leaf; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and next 4 ingredients, and cook 1 minute. Add wine; cover and cook 3 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels. Cool completely. Chill until serving. Serve with French bread.

Russell Cronkhite, A Return to Family Picnics (Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 2005), Coastal Living, JULY 2005