Thyme Steamed Mussels With Butter And Hot Sour Bread Recipe

900 g Fresh mussels; (2lb)
1/2 Red onion
2 Cloves garlic
40 g Butter; (1 1/2oz)
250 ml White wine; (10fl oz)
250 ml Double cream; (10fl oz)
4 Sprigs fresh thyme
1 md Loaf sour bread
1 Handful fresh parsley

Peel and chop the onion and garlic into fine dice not too fine. Wash the
mussels in a colander to remove any dirt and grime. Pick through the
mussels and remove the stringy lip from the edges. This is the bit the
mussel uses to hold onto the edges of the sea bed.

Wrap the bread in tin foil and place it in a low oven to warm up slowly
while you cook the mussels.

Place half the butter in a large pan and saut the fresh thyme and mussels.
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mussels start to
open. At this stage add the cream and salt and pepper. Chop the parsley up
roughly and add to the pan, stirring the ingredients with a spoon.

Place the mussels in two bowls and pour the sauce left in the pan over the
tip of the mussels.

Remove the bread from the oven and break into large lumps and serve in
seperate bowls. I like to eat the mussels first, then dunk in the bread
with loads of butter at the end.

Yields
1 servings