narrative – photography: Antonia Kati – journalist, food photographer and food stylist
Ingredients (4 people)
- 30 mussels (give or take)
- 200ml dry, white wine
- 1 large onion (finely chopped)
- 1 clove of garlic (finely minced)
- ½ bunch fresh fennel, finely chopped
- 2-3 tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- freshly ground pepper
- ½ tsp sweet or hot boukovo chili pepper flakes (optional)
Under clear, running water, wash and debeard mussels thoroughly. Even better, place them in a bowl with salted ice water for 2-3 hours. The sand they contain will settle at the bottom of the bowl, making easier to rid mussels from all debris and seaweed on their outer shells.
In a comfortable frying pan, slowly heat butter and olive oil together. On medium heat, sauté onions, then garlic. As soon as your onion and garlic mixture becomes opaque, drop the mussels in.
In a small bowl, stir mustard and wine together. Pour over the mussels in the frying pan. Grind a bit of fresh pepper on top. Lower heat. Cover.
Simmer mussels for approximately 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, remove lid, and discard those mussels whose shells have not opened. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped fennel. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with boukovo flakes (optional).
