Ingredients - serves 4 

• 2 kg fresh mussels 

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 2 shallots finely chopped

• 20g butter

• 1 bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, and bay leaves, i.e. roll these herbs together and tie with kitchen string

• 100ml dry white wine

• 130ml double cream

• handful of parsley leaves roughly chopped

• loaf of warm crusty bread to serve. Sourdough is excellent.

Method

1. Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won't close when lightly squeezed. Pull out as much of the fibrous ‘beards’ as you can. Best achieved by waggling the beards until they pull out. 

2. Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell.

3. Put your large sourdough loaf in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

4. In a large pan big enough to take all the mussels comfortably, soften the garlic and shallots in the butter with the bouquet garni. 

5. 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.

6. Remove the bouquet garni, add the cream and chopped parsley and remove from the heat.

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