Fennel Mussels with Piquillo Rouille

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fish stock or bottled clam broth
• Large pinch of saffron threads
• One 1/4-inch-thick slice of peasant bread
• crust removed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 jarred piquillo pepper
• chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads of fennel
• cored and diced
• plus 1/4 cup chopped fronds
• 1 medium onion
• diced
• 4 garlic cloves
• minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup Pernod or absinthe
• 1 1/4 cups fish stock or bottled clam broth
• 4 pounds mussels
• scrubbed and debearded
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the Mussels In a microwave*#150;safe bowl, heat 2 tablespoons of the fish stock at high power.
2. Crumble in the saffron and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, soften the bread in the remaining 1/4 cup of fish stock.
4. Prepare the Mussels In a food processor, puree the soaked bread, egg yolk, piquillo, garlic and lemon juice until smooth.
5. With the machine on, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the oil and the saffron fish stock.
6. Slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil.
7. Season with cayenne and salt.
8. Prepare the Mussels In a large pot, heat the oil.
9. Add the diced fennel, onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 7 minutes.
10. Add the red pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
11. Add the Pernod and boil over high heat for 2 minutes.
12. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil.
13. Add the mussels, cover and cook, shaking the pot, until they open, 5 minutes.
14. Pile the mussels in a bowl; discard any that don't open.
15. Stir the butter into the broth, add the fennel fronds and parsley; season with salt.
16. Pour the broth over the mussels and serve with the rouille.