Serve in large bowls, with crusty bread or frites to sop up the sauce.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced

half a fennel bulb, thinly sliced

4 sprigs thyme

1 cup white wine

½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp white pepper

2 lbs (1 kg) mussels, well rinsed

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 starters

Method:

Melt butter in a large stockpot over low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, fennel and thyme. Gently saute until the vegetables are tender, but not browned, about 12 minutes.

Increase the heat to high; stir in the wine, cream and pepper and bring to a boil.

Gently add the mussels and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook just until the mussels open, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley.

Source: Sobey’s Inspired Magazine, Spring 2010