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Mussels With Spicy Tomato Oil and Grilled Bread

5.0

(5)

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Photo by Alex Lau

Mussels steam in the same saucepan as chili-and-fennel-spiced tomato sauce in this effortless supper.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    40 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chili oil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
Kosher salt
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 slices country-style bread, grilled

Preparation

  1. Step 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.

    Step 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.

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