Technically this is a soup. It is a French classic, and can be eaten as a starter or main course.

Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

1. Wash the mussels (about 2lb/1Kg) under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won't close when lightly squeezed (they are dead).
2. Pull out the tough fibrous beards protruding from between the tightly closed shells and then knock off any barnacles with a large knife. Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell.
3. Gently fry 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and 1 shallot in ¼oz/8g of butter with the bouquet garni (thyme, parsley & a bay leaf) until the shallots are soft, in a large pan big enough to hold all the mussels - it should only be half full.
4. Add the mussels and 1 glass of dry white wine or cider, cover with a close fitting lid, turn up the heat a little and cook until the mussels open (a few minutes). Give the pan a good shake every now and then.
5. Remove the bouquet garni, add a cup of cream (optional - if you don't add cream then you should double the quantity of wine or cider) and some chopped parsley, and remove from the heat.
6. Spoon into large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread (for mopping up the liquid).

The proper way to eat the mussels is to use the shells of one mussel as tongs to pull the flesh from the others. No other cutlery is required.

Cleaning the Mussels, and keeping them alive

If you buy the mussels a day or more before you want to eat them, you can put them into a bucket of brine. You can make the brine with cold tap water and salt; mussels are not very sensitive to how much salt, so if it tastes about right for sea water then it is fine.

Also thoroughly mix in a tablespoon of plain flour; the mussels will eat this, and as they filter the water will flush out any mud or grit that may be inside the shells.