Tuppence and A Bowl of Mussels

"It couldn't have been a woman who killed him.  No one uses hat pins these days.  Hats pull on!"

Tommy and Tuppence were characters created by Agatha Christie.  They inherited a detective agency in the 1920's and they were determined to successfully solve crimes.  Of course Tuppence was talking about a cloche, very popular at that time, (and today), and very fitted to the head.  This crime was committed with a hat pin, and as Tuppence said, women did not use hat pins to keep their hats on any more.  Thus, if it was used to implicate a woman, she was not a fashionable one.

They were such a great couple; chic, interesting, attractive and very happy together.  They would have enjoyed sharing this delicious big bowl of mussels for two.

A Bowl of Mussels for Two

2 lbs. mussels, cleaned and checked.  Throw away any that don't close as you are handling them.
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
2 cups white wine
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
2 tbs. chopped parsley
2 tbs. basil, cut into a chiffonade 
juice of a lemon
Buttery toasts made from gluten-free bread 


Melt the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven.  Sauté the fennel until it softens and starts to caramelize, add the salt and the white wine.  Cook for 5 minutes to reduce the wine a little.  Add the mussels and clamp on the lid.  Steam for 5-7 minutes until the mussels have opened.  Strew the fennel fronds, parsley, and basil over the mussels, squeeze over the lemon juice and give it a big stir.

Eat the mussels with the buttery toasts dipped in the broth.  Discard any that have not opened.  Perfect after a hard day of sleuthing.

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