4 cups mussels
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Pernod or other anise/licorice flavored liqueur
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 lemon, juiced
For lemon butter sauce :
1/4 cup real butter
2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons cold butter
Soak mussels in cold water for 8 minutes; scrub with a stiff brush; remove beard with a sharp knife; rinse mussels again in cold water.
Heat oil in a skillet; add mussels; cover and cook until shells begin to open, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic; toss to mix; cook, covered, for 1 minute.
Add Pernod, basil, lemon juice, and lemon butter sauce; cook for 45 seconds.
Discard any mussels that did not open. Serve in a deep bowl.
For Lemon Butter Sauce :
Melt butter over low heat; remove from heat and let sit until the milk solids settle to the bottom; skim the clear butter from the top; discard sediment.
Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the clarified butter until transparent.
Stir in lemon juice and white wine and season salt and pepper.
Simmer 2-3 minutes to reduce liquid.
Remove from heat and swirl in cold butter until sauce is smooth and butter is melted.