Creamy Saffron and Fennel Mussels

The broth for creamy saffron and fennel mussels is golden and aromatic, built on a base of garlic, white wine, lemon, and fennel, then finished with a pinch of saffron that turns everything into liquid gold. Tender chunks of potato soak up all that flavor, making each spoonful hearty and satisfying. And to top it off—fennel-scented breadcrumbs, crisp and toasty, scattered over the top for contrast and crunch. Chopped parsley also adds a note of bright freshness.

This creamy soup produced by cooking the mussels in the above ingredients is perfect for dipping crusty toasted bread. Since the mussels cook in the liquid here, it is imperative to clean them properly before cooking. The best way to do this is to scrub them with a stiff bristle brush under cold water. If any have beards, remove them by pulling strongly towards the hinge. If you buy farmed mussels, most will have the beard removed but you may find a few that do have one. You can then soak them in cold salt water for about 10 minutes to let them expel any sand or grit, then drain and rinse before cooking. Make sure to discard any with broken shells or that don’t close up when tapped.

The bread crumbs were so good with the creamy broth and mussels. Definitely make them 🙂 Also check out my recipes for garlic miso mussels and red Thai curry mussels.

Creamy Saffron and Fennel Mussels

Mussels cooked in a creamy saffron fennel broth with white wine, garlic and potatoes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

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For the mussels and broth:

• 2 lbs mussels cleaned
• 2 shallots sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 potato peeled and diced
• 1 fennel bulb trimmed and diced (save the frons)
• 2 leeks cleaned and diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads
• 1/2 cup cream
• juice and zest of one lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley

For the breadcrumbs:

• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds toasted, then ground into a powder
• salt to taste

Instructions

 

• To prepare the mussels, scrub them well with a stiff bristle brush under cold running water. Remove beards if there are any. Soak for 10 minutes in lightly salted water then rinse. Discard any with broken shells, shells that are open and don't close if you lightly tap them, or otherwise damaged mussels.
• Make the breadcrumbs – heat the 2 tbsp oil in a skillet until hot and add the breadcrumbs, ground fennel powder and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs brown up. Remove from the heat quickly so they don't burn and set aside.
• In a large stock pot with a lid, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, leeks and fennel and stir. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the wine is reduced by half, then add the chicken stock, thyme, cream, potato, and saffron and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.
• Bring to a boil again and add the mussels. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing the mussels occasionally. Check at 5 minutes, and if they are all opened, proceed. If a bunch are still closed, continue cooking a few more minutes. Add in the lemon and zest and taste for salt and add a bit more if needed.
• Dish up some mussels and broth into a bowl and top with chopped parsley, fennel frons, and some of the breadcrumbs. Reserve some bread crumbs for adding while eating.

Keyword Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Seafood

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