1/4 cup butter - (1/2 stick)
1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb
2 shallots -- chopped
4 garlic cloves -- chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
5 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 pounds mussels -- scrubbed, debearded

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped fennel, shallots, garlic and fennel seeds. Saute until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add wine and cream and boil until liquid thickens, about 10 minutes. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes.

Divide mussels among 6 shallow bowls (discard any mussels that do not open). Ladle broth over and serve.

This recipe yields 6 first-course servings.