America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Steamed Mussels with Fennel, White Wine, and Tarragon

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 27, 2015

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Steamed Mussels with Fennel, White Wine, and Tarragon

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened6 garlic cloves, minced¼ cup minced fresh tarragon Salt and pepper 1 (12-inch) baguette, cut on bias into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb quartered, cored, and chopped1 ½ cups dry white wine 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine butter, garlic, 2 tablespoons tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Spread 5 tablespoons butter mixture on 1 side of baguette slices. Place slices, buttered side up, on rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add fennel, cover, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add mussels to pot, cover, and cook until mussels open, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring twice. Remove pot from heat and transfer mussels to serving bowls using slotted spoon, leaving accumulated mussel broth in pot.
  3. Broil baguette slices until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon into broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour broth over mussels and serve with toasted baguette slices.
Steamed Mussels with Fennel, White Wine, and Tarragon

Steamed Mussels with Fennel, White Wine, and Tarragon

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper
1 (12-inch) baguette, cut on bias into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb quartered, cored, and chopped
1 ½ cups dry white wine
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper
1 (12-inch) baguette, cut on bias into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb quartered, cored, and chopped
1 ½ cups dry white wine
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper
1 (12-inch) baguette, cut on bias into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb quartered, cored, and chopped
1 ½ cups dry white wine
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Why This Recipe Works

Simmering the broth for a few minutes before adding the mussels allows the fennel to soften and flavor the broth.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine butter, garlic, 2 tablespoons tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Spread 5 tablespoons butter mixture on 1 side of baguette slices. Place slices, buttered side up, on rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add fennel, cover, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add mussels to pot, cover, and cook until mussels open, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring twice. Remove pot from heat and transfer mussels to serving bowls using slotted spoon, leaving accumulated mussel broth in pot.
  3. Broil baguette slices until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon into broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour broth over mussels and serve with toasted baguette slices.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.