Mussels with buttered bread crumbs

1 1/4 hours 

Serves 4

1.8 kg / 4 lb or 4 pt mussels in their shells 

65 g / 2 1/2 oz butter 

1/2 Spanish onion, finely chopped 

1 celery stalk, finely chopped 

freshly ground black pepper 

10 ml / 2 tsp lemon juice 

150 ml / 5 fl oz dry white wine 

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

60 ml / 4 tbs finely chopped parsley 

175g / 6 oz fresh bread crumbs

Mussels with buttered bread crumbs 

1- Scrub the mussels clean and remove the beards. Discard any mussels that are cracked or not tightly closed. 

2- In a large heavy saucepan heat 25 g / 1 oz butter and saute the finely chopped onion and celery for about 10 minutes, or until they are softened but not brown. 

3- Add the mussels to the pan, Season lightly with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the lemon juice and dry white wine over them. Cover the pan tightly and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan, for about 5 minutes, or until the shells open. Discard any mussels that fail to open. Simmer over  low heat for a further 3 minutes. 

4- Drain the mussels thoroughly, reserving the liquor, Remove the top shells of the mussels over the pan of reserved liquor to catch any liquor that is held in the shells. Strain the mussels liquor through a muslin-linen sieve inot a clean sauce-pan and boil rapidly over a high heat to reduce the liquor to half its original quantity. 

5- Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan. Add the finely chopped garlic and the parsley and simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. add the bread crumbs to the pan. stirring, until they have soaked up all the butter. sprinkle over the reduced liquor and continue stirring until the liquor has evaporated, leaving the mixture rather dry. 

6- Add the mussels to the pan and toss lightly until heated through. Transfer to a heated serving platter and serve immediately. 

Mussels with buttered bread crumbs are ready to serve and for Yummy lunch. 

photo credit goes to = www.chow.com

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