Moules marinière - a personal favourite

Recipe courtesy of one of my favourite chefs – Rick Stein:

Ingredients:

1.75kg/4lb mussels
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
15g/1⁄2oz butter
A bouquet garnish of parsley, thyme and bay leaves
100ml/31⁄2fl oz dry white wine or cider
120ml/4fl oz double cream
Handful of parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won't close when lightly squeezed.

2. Pull out the tough, fibrous beards protruding from between the tightly closed shells and then knock off any barnacles with a large knife. Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell.

3. Soften the garlic and shallots in the butter with the bouquet garnish, in a large pan big enough to take all the mussels - it should only be half full.

4. Add the mussels and wine or cider, turn up the heat, then cover and steam them open in their own juices for 3-4 minutes. Give the pan a good shake every now and then.

5. Remove the bouquet garnish, add the cream and chopped parsley and remove from the heat.

6. Spoon into four large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread.

(Photo taken at our frequent Belgian haunt - Léon de Bruxelles in Paris)