I ♥ Mussels

Although we love this best on the beach during the summer, this is one of our favorites year round:

Mussels Marinière

2 pounds mussels

4 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced

1 cup dry white wine

pinch of dried thyme

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Soak mussels in a bowl of cold, salted water for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard any mussels that seem unusually heavy or light or that do not close their shells. In a deep pot, sauté the shallots in the butter for a minute or two. Add wine and let simmer for several minutes, allowing some of the wine to cook off. Add the thyme, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Add the mussels, cover tightly, and let steam over high heat for about 5 minutes. Shake the pot well several times to make sure that the mussels cook evenly. Pour the pot into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, preferably with a nice crusty baguette!