Mussels in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 kg mussels
• 500 g carrots
• 500 g leeks
• 500 g fennel
• 250 g celery stalks
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 250 ml white wine
• 2 cans peeled tomatoes (825 g)
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. 1.

   Brush the mussels thoroughly under running water. Then remove the beards. Discard any mussels that are broken or do not close in cold water.

2. 2.

   Clean, wash and finely dice the vegetables; sauté them in a large pot with hot oil until translucent. Add white wine with the tomatoes and their liquid, bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

3. 3.

   Add the mussels, still dripping wet, to the broth and cover. Cook for 10–12 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels, discarding any that have not opened.

4. 4.

   Arrange the mussels with the broth on plates. When extracting the mussel meat, use an empty shell as a tongs. Serve with baguette.