Ingredients:
• 2 cups light, dry white win or 1 cup dry white vermouth
• 1/2 cup minced shallots, or green onions, or very finely minced onions
• 8 parsley sprigs
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 lb scrubbed, soaked mussels
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
Directions:
• Bring all but the last two ingredients to boil in the pot.
• Boil for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate its alcohol and to reduce its volume slightly.
• Add the mussels to the pot.
• Cover tightly and boil quickly over high heat.
• Frequently grasp the pot with both hands, your thumbs clamped to the cover, and toss the mussels in the kettle and an up and down slightly jerky motion so the mussels will change levels and cook evenly.
• In about 5 minutes, the shells will swing open and the mussels are done.
• With a big skimmer, dip the mussels into wide soup places.
• Allow the cooking liquid to settle for a moment so any sand will sink to the bottom. • Ladle the liquid over the mussels, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.
