Mediterranean Mussel and Chickpea Soup with Fennel and Lemon

Name: Mediterranean Mussel and Chickpea Soup with Fennel and Lemon
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; Pinch of chile flakes; 1 1/2 pounds fresh mussels, debearded and scrubbed; 1 cup white wine; 1 cup Basic Chickpeas (page 220); 1 small bulb fennel, tough outer leaves removed, sliced; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; Juice of 1 lemon; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

December 14, 2011

My wife, Angela, loves mussels, especially the fat, tender Mediterranean mussels you get in summer and early fall. Consequently, we eat a lot of them—steamed, in salads, with pastas, you name it. Light enough for a summer dish, this terrific soup is also delicious in the winter months made with Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) mussels instead.

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