Mussels & Sujuk Recipe

Prep mussels

Rinse mussels under cold water, discard any open mussels that do not close when tapped. Scrub shells and remove beards. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large wide pot or sauté pan with a lid, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallot and sauté until translucent and aromatic, about 2–3 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Pour in white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Add chicken or fish stock and lemon juice and bring back to a simmer.

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over medium-high heat until mussels open, about 5–7 minutes. Shake the pot occasionally to redistribute heat. Discard any mussels that remain closed.

Stir in chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, then turn heat to low and keep warm while finishing other components.

While mussels steam, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sliced sujuk and cook until the edges are crisp and oil releases, about 3–4 minutes. Remove sujuk with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towel.

In the same skillet, add the thinly sliced fennel and a pinch of salt. Sauté in the sujuk oil over medium heat until fennel softens and develops light caramelization, about 5–7 minutes. Add red pepper flakes in the last minute. Return cooked sujuk to the skillet to warm through, then remove from heat.

Steep saffron: place saffron threads in 2 tbs warm water and let sit while you start the sauce (5–10 minutes) to extract color and aroma.

In a separate saucepan, heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute to bloom. Pour in white wine and deglaze, scraping any fond. Add crushed tomatoes, saffron with its soaking liquid, sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, lower heat and cook for 12–15 minutes to meld flavors and thicken slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Keep the ragu warm. If the ragu becomes too thick, loosen with a tablespoon or two of the reserved mussel cooking liquid or water.

Taste the mussel broth and, if desired, strain a half cup to fold into the tomato-saffron ragu for extra sea flavor; reserve remaining broth for serving alongside mussels.

Arrange warm tomato-saffron ragu in a wide shallow serving bowl. Nestle the steamed mussels into the ragu, spooning some broth over the shells. Scatter the crispy sujuk and sautéed fennel evenly over the mussels and ragu.

Sprinkle halved kalamata olives and crumbled sheep's feta over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley or fennel fronds and drizzle 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over everything.

Serve immediately with crostini on the side for dipping; offer lemon wedges at the table to squeeze over mussels.