Mussels in Saffron Fennel Broth

~One of my favorite things of living in the Northwest is the our wonderful bounty of local seafood. The winter months are the prime season for sweet, plump Penn Cove mussels.  There is very little you need to do, since mussels come with it’s own jus.  It makes for a wonderful starter or add a freshly toasted baguette or sourdough loaf and you have a complete meal in about 10min.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb Penn Cove mussels- scrubbed and remove beard

1 slice thick cut hickory smoked bacon- diced

¼ fennel bulb- thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves- thinly sliced

½ shallot- thinly sliced

½ scallion- minced

1/3 cup Red Hook ESB beer

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 pinch saffron

1 pinch cayenne

½ tsp fennel fronds

Directions:

1. Set a large pan on high heat and cook bacon until bacon begins to crisp.
2. Immediately add fennel, garlic, shallot, and scallion. Lightly toss for about 10 seconds.
3. Add beer, saffron, and cayenne. Using a wooden or plastic spatula, scrape bottom of pan to blend fond into broth.
4. Add mussels and cover for about 3min. Add salt evenly over mussels. Toss and mix mussels thorough with broth and cover again for another 1-2min or until all shells are opened.
5. Serve immediately. Garnish with fennel fronds.