Mussels with Fennel-Tomato Broth and Crispy Salumi
Mussels with Fennel-Tomato Broth and Crispy Salumi
Mussels often get less of the love when compared to their bivalve brethren (clams, scallops, oyster), but what they lack in popularity, they make up for in flavor and affordability. As they cook, they open and release a flavorful liquid that fortifies any sauce. Make sure to debeard your mussels! The beard, technically called byssal threads, are what attach the mussel to the rocks or solid surface in their marine environments, and are easy to remove, by simply pulling with your fingers or pliers towards the hinge of the mussel.
Finnochiona is a type of salumi made with fennel that pairs well with this preparation, but feel free to substitute sopressata or other cured pork products.
Mussels with Fennel-Tomato Broth and Crispy Salumi
1 shallot, peeled and minced
6 cloves garlic
3 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted, ground
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes
3 lb mussels, rinsed and debearded
1 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp butter
Salt, to taste
4 oz finnochiona, spanish chorizo or salumi of choice diced
2 tbsp diced parsley or dried oregano for garnishing
olive oil, as needed
sliced grilled or toasted bread for serving
In a large pan or a dutch oven, heat a very thin layer of olive oil over medium heat, then add the diced finocchiona or salumi of choice and cook until the fat renders and the pieces are crispy.
Remove the salumi from the pan, leaving the fat and add the minced shallot, cooking until translucent.
To the pan, add the sliced garlic, then the ground fennel, paprika and crushed red pepper. Cook for about two minutes.
Add the tomatoes to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Cook until tomatoes have released their juices.
Add the white wine to the pan, heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then add the cleaned mussels and cover the pan.
After about 4 minutes, remove the lid and stir to ensure even cooking.
Once all of the mussels have opened, remove the mussels from the pan and into a serving dish, covering to keep warm.
Add the butter to the pan and shake to emulsify, reducing the sauce until it is nappe (it coats the back of a spoon).
Spoon the flavorful sauce on top of the mussels in the serving dish, then top with the crispy salumi and herbs.
Serve alongside the crusty grilled bread and mop up every last bit of delicious sauce.
****SAM’S SCIENCE TIP***
You’ll notice that the spices in this recipe are added in the hot oil. This is because these spices contain many aromatic compounds (the molecules that are most responsible for the flavor & aroma) that are generally more oil soluble. Chemically, this is because of a property known as non-polarity. Speaking in very broad terms, the flavor compounds we’re looking for here are nonpolar, meaning they’ll be more soluble in oil (which is also non polar) than in water. In commercial applications, this is why many flavor compounds can be found in “essential oils” or oleoresins. All that being said, in our recipe, in order to dissolve these flavorful compounds and get them into our sauce and available for our tongues and noses, we add them to oil, creating a delicious flavor base that gets emulsified into our sauce, and lands a flavor bomb on our palate!