Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 cup finely chopped fennel
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Pinch saffron
• 2 lb fresh mussels, scrubbed
• 2 lb fresh clams, scrubbed
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions
1 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot and fennel seeds and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until mixture is fragrant and just turning gold. Add chopped fennel, tomatoes, wine and saffron and cook gently for a few minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

2 Stir in mussels and clams and cover pan with a lid. Steam for 5 to 6 minutes, or until shells have opened. (Discard any mussels and clams that haven’t opened.) Stir the butter through the mixture.

3 Scoop mussels and clams into bowls and pour the liquid on top. Serve with crusty bread.