Moules Mariniere

As you know by now, this is one of my favourite meals.

You will need:

Fresh mussels. We usually use around 1kg for the two of us (but we are piggies when it comes to seafood!).
A cup of cream
A cup of dry white wine
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion, diced finely
A few springs of thyme
Some parsley, finely chopped
Olive oil

What to do:

Over medium high heat, fry off the garlic and onions until opaque and starting to brown. Don't let them burn. Add the wine, thyme and some salt and cook for a minute or two, until it's bubbling away. Add the prepared mussels (see notes below) and cover with a well fitting lid. Steam for up to five minutes - or until the mussels have opened.

Splash the cream and the finely chopped parsley over the top and stir. Discard any mussels that haven't opened. Serve immediately, best with crunchy french fries and a garlic baguette.

NB I think adding bay leaves (2) is quite traditional with this dish but I find the taste overpowering.

Some tips for preparing mussels.

* They are best eaten on the day of purchase, or at latest, the next day.
* Run some cold water into a clean sink, or a large bowl. One by one, dip the mussels in the water, pulling out the beard (stringy sea net) in one swift motion, like you are pulling a weed from the grass. Use a sharp paring knife to chip off any barnacles.
* Don't scrub the shells as this will wash away their colour and taint the colour of your sauce.
* If any mussels are open at this stage, press them shut. If they stay shut, they're fine, if they remain open, discard them.