8 ounces chorizo -- removed from
casings and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely-chopped yellow onions
1 cup roughly-chopped fennel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup fresh tomatoes -- peeled, seeded,
and chopped
1 cups white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely-chopped parsley leaves
3 pounds fresh mussels -- well scrubbed,
and debearded
French Bread -- as an accompaniment

In a large saute pan, cook the chorizo until brown over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.

Add the butter and when melted, add the onions, fennel, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, cream, and parsley, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until the shells have opened, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sausage. Discard any mussels that do not open. Transfer to a deep bowl and serve immediately with hot French bread for dipping.

This recipe yields 4 appetizer servings.