Mussels Steamed in White Wine and Herbs

Yay, mussels! We love 'em. If you do too, try this. It's a basic, time proven way to cook them - garlic, shallots, parsley, white wine,  a little heat and we added a secret ingredient - a sprinkling of crushed fennel seeds. This recipe will not disappoint. We like the mussels served over linguine. It just seems the right thing to do.

Ingredients
3 lb. mussels
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or any other crisp, herbal white wine

1 box good quality imported linguine
Good-quality crusty bread, sliced or torn into pieces, for serving..

Rinse the mussels well under cold water. Pick them over, pulling off any beards and discarding any mussels that are broken or gaping open.

In a large pot with a lid, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, crushed fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant and soft but not colored, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the mussels, wine, and half of the parsley. Increase the heat to high, and cover the pan. After 2 minutes, remove the lid and toss the mussels well with a large spoon. 

Cover the pot again and cook until the mussels have opened wide, another 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the remaining parsley, give the mussels a final toss, and divide the mussels and the broth among bowls of linguine. Serve the bread alongside.