PEI Mussels with Marinated Tomatoes & Fennel

• 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved*
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced
• 2 each Shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove PEI Garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, removed from stems
• to taste Salt & Black Pepper
• ¾ cup PEI Olive Oil
• 2 pounds PEI Mussels
• ¼ cup Honeydew Apiaries Starling Traditional Dry
• Mead Honey Wine

METHOD

1.) Remove stalks, root end of fennel, and slice bulb thinly; rough chop stalks and reserve for steaming mussels.
2.) Place sliced fennel bulb in medium bowl with cherry tomatoes, shallots, and garlic.
3.) Add smoked paprika, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, and olive oil; mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until ready to use.
4.) Just before serving, heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add mussels, reserved fennel stalks, and honey wine.
5.) Cover pot with a lid and allow mussels to steam for 5-7 minutes or until all of the shells have opened.
6.) Mix marinated tomato mixture into steamed mussels; discarding any unopened shells. Serve immediately. (For a different twist, roast tomato-fennel mixture before mixing with steamed mussels.)
* Cherry tomatoes can be substituted with any type of tomato.
Serves 4

Source: PEI Liquor Commission