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1
Blanch the cavolo nero in heavily salted boiling water for 5 minutes.
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2
Drain, let cool, and squeeze out the excess water with your hands.
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3
Cut the greens into 1-inch ribbons.
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4
Heat a very large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes.
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5
Pour in the 1/2 cup olive oil and wait a minute.
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6
Add the onion, fennel, garlic, crumbled chiles, rosemary, and thyme to the pan.
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7
Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and lots of pepper.
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8
Cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion starts to wilt.
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9
Add the greens, and stir them to coat with the oil and onions.
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10
Cook about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and tender and the greens start to break down.
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11
Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
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12
Add the beans to the vegetables, and cook a minute or two.
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13
Turn the heat up to high and add the clams.
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14
Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the mussels, and stir well to combine.
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15
Pour in the vermouth and cover the pan.
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16
Let the shellfish steam a few minutes, until they open.
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17
Remove the lid and add 1 cup of the bean-cooking liquid.
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18
If the dish doesnt seem brothy enough, add a little more.
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19
Bring to a boil, stirring well to combine the flavors, and swirl in the butter.
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20
Taste for seasoning.
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21
Serve in a large shallow bowl with a large serving spoon.
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22
Pass the super-good extra-virgin olive oil and hunks of crusty bread at the table.
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23
Remember to provide small bowls for shells.
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24
Toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they release their aroma and are golden brown.
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25
Pound the fennel seeds coarsely in a mortar.
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26
Heat a medium pot over high heat for 2 minutes.
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27
Pour in the olive oil, and add the rosemary sprig and the crumbled chile.
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28
Let them sizzle in the oil about 1 minute.
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29
Add the onion, thyme, and fennel seeds, and saute about 2 minutes, until the onion is wilted.
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30
Add the beans to the pan and cook another minute, stirring to coat well.
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31
Cover with water by 3 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat.
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32
Turn the heat down to low, and place a paper towel over the beans to keep them underwater.
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33
Simmer, stirring once in a while.
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34
After 30 minutes, add the salt to the beans, and continue cooking at a low simmer until the beans are tender, about an hour.
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35
Remove the beans from the heat, and let them cool in their juices.
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36
As the beans cook, add water as necessary, but not too much.
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37
You want the bean liquid to be rich and a little starchy, because it will be an important part of the finished broth.
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38
I like to use a wide pan, ideally 14 inches across, as opposed to a deep pan for this dish.
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39
That way all of the shellfish get coated and cook evenly.
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40
With a deeper pot, its difficult to stir, and inevitably some of the mussels and clams end up on the top, brothless and dried out.
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41
If you dont have a lid for that wide pan, use a piece of tinfoil or two to fake a lid for steaming.
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42
And if you dont have a really wide pan, use two of your widest pans and split the recipe between them.
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43
You can make the beans the day before.
