Nutty Mussels

Makes 4 servings

• Ingredients:
  • 4 pounds (2 kg) mussels, shells washed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (50 g) hazelnuts, diced
  • 1 small fennel bulb (about 1½ ounces/45 g), diced (1/3 cup)
  • 1 thick coin fresh ginger, peeled and minced (½ teaspoon)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
  • Freshly ground pepper
• Instructions:
  1. If necessary, debeard the mussels right before you begin to prepare the dish. Keep them in the refrigerator.
  2. Mince the fresh rosemary, and cover to keep the aroma from dissipating.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the hazelnuts and cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to turn golden and smell toasty, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Remove the hazelnuts from the pan. Add the fennel and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the fennel is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the mussels to the wok. Sauté them, stirring them almost constantly, until they open and most but not all of their juices have evaporated, about 7 minutes. Return the hazelnuts to the pan along with the bread crumbs and continue stirring and sautéing until the mussels are cooked through and the bread crumbs are mixed throughout and beginning to smell toasty, about 3 additional minutes.
  4. Stir in the minced rosemary and remove the mussels from the heat. Season them with pepper to taste and serve immediately.
  5. Serve as a small first course or as a larger portion for a main dish, accompanied by plenty of fresh bread
• Note:                                                                                                                                                                                                               There is no need to remove the hazelnut skins in this recipe, as the entire nut, with skin, adds flavor and texture.You do need to remove from the mussels the beard, or byssus, which is like a string the mussel uses to attach itself to something solid. It must be removed right before the mussel is cooked, but not in advance or the mussel will spoil. You may be able to find “cleaned” mussels. These have had their byssus cut off, so there is no need to pull it out.