5 lbs mussels in their shells
1/2 large chopped onion
1/2 oz butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 clove crushed garlic
Pepper
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 oz extra butter for thickening
(optional)
Scrub the mussels under running
water and make sure to throw away any with an open shell. Rinse well. Melt
the chopped onion in butter in a large saucepan, add mussels, all the other
ingredients except salt, parsley and extra butter. Cook over very high
heat and cover with a glass plate so you can see when the mussels open
(about 5 mins!) Fish them out of the liquid and
only keep the top shells to
which the mussels are attached for serving. Return the liquid to the heat
and let it reduce by fast boiling with the lid off. You can now thicken
this if you wish by melting the extra butter with 1/2 oz flour and 1/4
cup thin cream.
Add this to the soup in the
pot and boil. When soup is ready, pour it over the half-shelled mussels
and garnish with chopped parsley. This dish is always served in large soup
plates.
Serves about 4