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1
Put the oil in a large pot over medium heat; a minute later, add the garlic, fennel, fennel seeds, liqueur, and tomatoes and tarragon if youre using them.
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2
Bring to a boil, cook for about a minute, add the mussels, cover the pot, and turn the heat to high.
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3
Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels open, 5 to 10 minutes.
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4
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels and fennel to a serving bowl, then strain any liquid over them and serve.
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5
There are many, many herbs, spices, vegetables, and other seasonings that can lend a licorice flavor, including anise seeds or ground anise; five-spice powder; ouzo or raki, the anise-scented liqueurs of the eastern Mediterranean; and tarragon, chervil, even basilespecially Thai basil.
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6
(You could probably throw in a few pieces of Good&Plenty while youre at it.)
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7
Or you can go super-minimal and make plain steamed mussels.
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8
The procedure is the same, but omit all ingredients except mussels, oil, and garlic.
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9
Shake the pot a couple of times while cooking.
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10
These are great with a little melted butter (laced with minced garlic if you like) drizzled over them and a big loaf of crusty bread.
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11
Every year, we see more and more cultivated mussels, most often from Prince Edward Island, which is fast becoming the mussel farming capital of North America.
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12
These are easy to clean (almost clean enough to eat without washing, but still worth a quick going over), with very few rejects and plump meat.
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13
Wild mussels are far tastier but harder to clean.
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14
When cleaning mussels, discard any with broken shells.
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15
If the mussels have beardsthe hairy vegetative growth that is attached to the shelltrim them off.
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16
Those mussels that remain closed after the majority have been steamed open can be pried open with a knife (a butter knife works fine) at the table.
