Enjoy a bowl of Mussels with a White Wine & Fennel Cream Sauce this weekend !

Being from Nova-Scotia, loving shell fish like lobster, scallops and mussels is practically in my DNA.  I recently returned from a blissful vacation back home on the East Coast, where we indulged in all of my favorites.  

Mussels were a staple in my house growing up and I always loved dunking them in garlicky lemon butter. It’s funny how nothing really changed (well maybe my glass of sauvignon blanc). This humble East Coast favorite has continued to be a special dish into my adulthood. It was the first meal I ever made for Rez and whenever I make it at home it brings back happy memories, both old and new.

Fennel lends a sweet licorice flavor to the dish. Don’t worry, it’s not overpowering and the flavor mellows out as it cooks.

At the time I was living in Vancouver and we had been dating long distance for a couple of months. We had met in Hawaii Thanksgiving weekend, had our first date in Montreal on NYE and in January I went to visit him in San Francisco. It was quite the whirlwind! Now it was his turn to come see me in Vancouver and not on buddy pass!

Side note for those of you who are not in the airline industry: Although our career allows us to travel freely and cheaply, long distance relationships can be equally or more taxing on our end. When you fly for a living, doing all of the commuting in a long distance relationship can be draining, especially when it’s not appreciated. It’s a test in a way, to see if they’re willing to put in the work and not ask for the ‘golden ticket’ immediately.

Discard any mussels that don’t open in the cooking process. Important! Don’t forget!

Rez was due to arrive right around lunchtime so I decided to make him an old school favorite of mine; Mussels. They’re easy to make, use few key ingredients and are rather addicting once you sample a few. The broth is really what ties everything together, with thick slices of fresh bread for dipping. This certainly isn’t a fancy dish and that’s part of its glory!

Served best with thick slices of fresh bread. The bread takes it from appetizer to entrée.

We’ve created a tradition of staying in for big nights like Valentines Day or Anniversaries. We get our favorites wine & foods and spend the night at home, instead of going to super crowded and loud restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, I love those places and I’m actually late getting ready to go out for dinner & drinks. But those special nights I like being at home, hidden away from the craziness of the city, with my favorite person in the world, in our own private retreat. We always include mussels in the mix on those special days. One of us always reminding the other of that first home cooked meal together.

Enjoy! xx

Mussels with a White Wine & Fennel Cream Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This East Coast favorite

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Appetizer or Main

Cuisine: Seafood

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de bearded
• ¼ cup butter, ½ stick
• 1 fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• ½ bottle dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• a small handful of flat leaf parsley
• garnish with lemon wedge

Instructions

1. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add chopped fennel, shallots, garlic and fennel seeds. Sauté until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cream and boil until liquid thickens, about 10 minutes.
3. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Ladle broth overtop and sprinkle with flat leaf parsley.
4. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with fresh bread!
5. Enjoy!

Notes

Before cooking I always sift through the mussels to check for any damaged and cracked shells.
Once mussels are cooked I discard any mussels that do not open.
I normally serve this family style at home but feel free to separate into individual bowls and ladle the broth overtop.

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This Mostly Veggie Tuna Melt will never go out of style. Ode to a classic!

Tuna melts and tuna salad on fresh greens is definitely a regular in house. It’s something you can whip up quickly and modify the ingredients based on what you have.

My fiancés idea of comfort food is a nice creamy tuna melt and he’s as happy as a little clam when I make this for him. He’s going to kill me when he reads this.

Mostly Veggie Tuna Melt turned Tuna Salad

I like my tuna salad with a lot of crunch so I always use celery & fennel. Remember to hang on to those fennel fronds at the top of the fennel bulb. They look & feel similar to dill but have a delicate anise flavor. We’re going to sprinkle those on top of the tuna melt as a finishing touch that will melt in your mouth.

I also add an apple to the mix for some sweetness and because it pairs really well with the fennel. I usually add more celery+fennel+apple than what I’ve listed  because I try to pack in as many veggies as I can without Rez asking questions.

The Dill Pickles are so perfect in this salad

The fennel lends massive amounts of flavor to this recipe and honestly, it’s just not the same without it. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, fennel is one of my go-to ingredients and definitely a useful ingredient to keep on hand.

I dice one of my Garlicky Dill Pickles, fresh dill, as well as some dill seeds to really amp up the bold flavor. In a pinch you can sub dry dill for fresh dill, but be sure to half it and let the mix sit in the fridge for an hour or so, allowing the flavors to marry together.

dill pickle+fresh herbs+fennel+apple=my kind of melt!

I normally opt to serve this over mixed greens or peppery arugula because frankly, I just like it like that, but this an awesome gluten free option for my celiac friends or people watching their carb intake. This is a super comforting dish and fairly guilt free, especially if you use greek yogurt instead of mayo!

Try this classic recipe with a bowl of Lazy Pea Soup with Mint & Crème Fraîche, Speedy Greek Style Chicken Soup with Lemon or Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup.

Mostly Veggie Tuna Melt

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Homestyle

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna, drained
• 4 slices of whatever bread you like
• 2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
• ¾ cup fennel, finely chopped
• 1 apple of your choice, cored and diced
• 1 large dill pickle, diced
• ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup dill, chopped
• ½ tsp dill seeds
• ½ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup prepared mayo or full fat greek yogurt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• kosher salt to taste
• fresh fennel fronds for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven broiler and set the rack about 5 inches from heat source.
2. Spread slices of bread on baking sheet and toast.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (with the exception of cheddar cheese) and toss until all ingredients are coated in mayo/greek yogurt.
4. Distribute the tuna salad mixture on top of the toasted pieces of bread and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
5. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
6. Season with salt & pepper and garnish with fresh fennel fronds or dill.

Notes

Makes 4 open face sandwiches.
Remember to save the fennel fronds. They make a nice finishing touch to the tuna melts.

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Turkey Meatballs with Fennel & Carrot are a healthier meatball alternative without sacrificing the flavor.

My other half & I recently returned from a European vacation and meatballs were on the menu everywhere in Greece. Let me tell you, these people do not play when it comes to their meatballs! I’m slightly embarrassed to admit how many times I ordered them over the course of our stay but they were simply addicting!

Homemade Meatball Mix: Oregano+onion+basil+mint+parsley+thyme+cumin

When I’m at home I don’t eat a lot of pork or beef but ‘when in Rome’ right? Some of the best we tasted were from small mom and pop restaurants that have been around for many years. These places have slowly perfected their recipes over decades and often it’s still the same person turning them out every.single.day.

When we got back to San Francisco we were still craving greek meatballs like nobodies business. I told myself when I got home I going to try and eat better; as a result, I kiboshed our guilty pleasure. We had just spent five weeks without a care in the world, eating and drinking whatever the hell we wanted! It was epic & wonderful but it was time we practiced a little self control. That concept was a big fat FAIL! My fiancé accused me of starving him (really?) so I challenged myself to make a lighter recipe without sacrificing the flavor.

Make yourself a small batch and keep in a mason jar. Why not save yourself a few minutes next time?

Leaner meats like ground turkey and chicken require you to extra flavor and moisture, to avoid tasting bland & dry. As you can see, I’ve added 2 eggs and a few dashes of Lee & Perrins to add some moisture to the meatballs as well as a powerhouse of flavorful ingredients. I love this Turkey Meatball with Fennel & Carrot recipe because its so satisfying and you don’t have to feel crazy guilty about eating it.

You will need to cook the meatballs in two batches so you don’t crowd the pan.

One of go-to ingredients is fennel, which also happens to be a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. The vegetables distinct flavor is slightly sweet and reminiscent of licorice. Fennel is closely related to dill, cilantro, carrots & parsley and its texture is crunchy like celery. It’s been shown to reduce inflammation and is also very good source of Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

Serve these delicious flavor bombs as an appetizer or main. remember to adjust the size accordingly.

I enjoy fennel raw or cooked in salads, soups, sauces, sautéed and roasted. The options are virtually endless! It is such a versatile ingredient and something you should really consider having on hand. It’s definitely a star in this recipe as we use both the diced fennel bulb and chopped fennel fronds. My version of the meatball was totally inspired by my semi obsession with fennel and I had the rest of the ingredients in the fridge and freezer.

Fennel is a strong anti inflammatory and can help relieve sore throats & sinus infections.

I often freeze half the batch because it’s too much for two people. I get a strange pleasure from making two meals at once. These freezer friendly meatballs are great to defrost for a quick weeknight meal. Can I get a ‘whaaaat whaaaat’ from the busy people out there? Try serving these with roasted veggies or a simple salad for a healthy alternative to meatballs and pasta.

Turkey Meatballs with Fennel & Carrot

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This recipe yields approximately 20 medium meatballs. These can also be made ahead and left in an airtight container until ready to cook.

Author: Peony

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup plain whole wheat bread crumbs (+ a little bit more to even out texture if needed)
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup fennel, finely diced
• ¼ cup fennel fronds, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup carrot, finely diced
• ½ cup onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 large dashes Lee & Perrins
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, optional
• 2 tbsp of dried meatball mix (dried basil, oregano, parsley, mint, cumin, thyme and onion)

Instructions

1. Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, fennel, carrot, onion in a large bowl and toss lightly with spoon.
2. Add dried herbs, fresh rosemary and a few dashes of L&P.
3. Mix with clean hands, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Roll mixture into meatballs and place on clean plate.
5. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
6. When hot, add meatballs and turn after 4 minutes or, until brown on both sides.
7. Add ½ cup chicken stock, cover, turn the heat to low and let simmer until most of the liquid evaporates (about 10 min).
8. Remove lid, add the remaining chicken stock, turn heat to medium and cook for a 2 minutes.
9. Serve hot!

Notes

When using leaner meats like ground turkey, you must add moisture and more flavor to compensate for the dryness.

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