Mussels with Spicy Tomato Oil and Grilled Bread
A flavorful dish of fresh mussels cooked in a spicy tomato oil with crispy garlic and fennel seeds, served with grilled country bread. This Mediterranean-inspired meal combines the briny sweetness of mussels with aromatic herbs and a rich, spicy sauce.
Ingredients
- •⅓ cup olive oil
- •3 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- •1 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, coarsely chopped
- •2 tablespoons chili oil
- •½ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- •1 to taste Kosher salt
- •3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
- •2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- •3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- •4 slices country-style bread
- •grilled
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high and add tomatoes to oil. Cook, pressing down on tomatoes using a wooden spoon until they are very soft and broken down, 8-10 minutes; pluck out peels. Stir in chili oil and fennel seeds; season with salt. Add mussels, cover, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until mussels open, 5-8 minutes (discard any mussels that don't open). Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to shallow bowls.
21 min
- 2.
Add butter to tomato oil and stir until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle oil over mussels and top with chives and fried garlic. Serve with grilled bread.
5 min
