Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Mussels with Fennel and Lovage

By René Redzepi
Image may contain Plant Human Person Food Dish and Meal
Mussels with Fennel and LovageDitte Isager

When gooseberries are in season, Redzepi juices them to flavor this dish. Verjus (a tart bottled juice made from unripe grapes) or a combination of white grape juice and cider vinegar make great substitutes.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

4 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into 1" cubes or thinly sliced
1 cup verjus (or 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 3/4 cup white grape juice)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 cup lovage leaves or celery leaves, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient info: Verjus is available at specialty foods stores, chefshop.com, and terrasonoma.com.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large heavy pot over high heat until very hot. Add mussels, fennel, verjus, and wine. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until mussels fully open (discard any that do not open). Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels and fennel to a serving platter.

    Step 2

    Simmer liquid in pot for 1 minute; whisk in butter and 1/2 cup lovage leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and additional vinegar if using grape juice). Spoon over mussels, leaving any sediment behind. Garnish mussels with remaining 1/2 cup lovage leaves and serve immediately.

TagsMusselShellfishSeafoodFennelRoot VegetableVegetableGrapeFruitCeleryMainDinnerGluten FreeNut FreeQuickEasySimmerBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
All the Recipes From Bon Appétit’s Travel Issue
We’ve got baked cheddar and leek pasta, maple-mustard sheet-pan salmon, and a strawberry shortcake roll.
Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
You don’t need melted chocolate to make a good brownie
The Only Frittata Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App This Week
Like lemony baked salmon and strawberry shortcake roll.
29 Spring Pastas to Make the Most of Seasonal Produce
Like spicy carrot rigatoni and weeknight-fancy ravioli with peas.
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Gingery Pork and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
13 Types of Nuts and How to Cook With Them
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.