- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- Kosher salt
- 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- 4 slices country-style bread, grilled
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high and add tomatoes to oil. Cook, pressing down on tomatoes using a wooden spoon until they are very soft and broken down, 8–10 minutes; pluck out peels. Stir in chili oil and fennel seeds; season with salt. Add mussels, cover, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until mussels open, 5–8 minutes (discard any mussels that don’t open). Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to shallow bowls.
- Add butter to tomato oil and stir until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle oil over mussels and top with chives and fried garlic. Serve with grilled bread.