Photo by Sarah Shatz

What better meal to serve yourself while everyone's out of the house than delightfully garlicky and messy mussels? Inexpensive and plentiful, mussels are quick-cooking, one-pot friendly, and, when they're served dripping in sauce, offer a little reprieve from rigid table etiquette (no one can see the saffron-colored juice running down to your elbows). Tonight, roll up your sleeves, tear off a piece of crusty bread, and enjoy some alone time with a bounty of bivalves.

Mussels for One (or Two)

Serves 1-2

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1.5 cups leeks, sliced into thin half-moons, white and pale green parts only
1 small bulb fennel, cored and chopped or thinly sliced (about 1 cup), plus a few fronds for garnish
Kosher or sea salt
1-2 pinches saffron threads
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 (or more, if you're solo) fat cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) Pernod or other anise liqueur
4 ounces (1/2 cup) white vermouth or dry white wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes with juice
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
1/4 cup heavy cream

See the full recipe at FOOD52.

• • • • •

Wine Pairings:

I love to eat mussels because they are quick to cook and delicious, and so clearly from the sea. There is something transcendent about picking the meat out of the shell -- it's slow, almost therapeutic. Anyway, what to drink? Coastal wines work best: Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley, Albariño from the Spanish Pacific, Falanghina from Italy's Adriatic shore. If you want something a bit more vinous, try a rosé from southern Provence. Or, opt for a Belgian beer like Duvel. Mostly, you want something snappy, fresh, and with a mineral or saline component.

Top Picks

Duvel Golden Ale, Belgium
2010 Aubuisieres (B Fouquet), Domaine des Vouvray Cuvee de Silex Chenin Blanc, France

- Jake Rosenbarger

• • • • •

What's your favorite home alone meal? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Like this post? See the Make This Tonight topic from last week: Finger-Lickin' Finger Lakes Chicken.