Mussels a la Portuguese

Directions

Wash the mussels under running water, and remove all traces of mud, seaweed and barnacles.

Remove beards(the rough fury part around the mussel). If mussel shells are cracked or broken, discard them. If any mussels are slightly open, tap sharply, and if they don’t close, discard.

Gently fry the garlic and shallots in olive oil and butter until transparent but not coloured.

Add wine, water, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and mussels.

Pour cream over the top. Cover pan, bring to boil and steam over a high heat for about 4 minutes, shaking pan constantly.

The shells will open as the mussels cook.

Serve as soon as the shells open.

Serve in deep bowls like mixing bowls, garnished with chopped parsley and lemmon quarters.

Don’t forget a large spoon to scoop up the juice.