Mussels In White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 pounds mussels – scrubbed and debearded
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup shallot – finely chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme – left whole
• 1 leaf bay leaf – left whole
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 0.25 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
• 0.25 cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
• lemon – cut into wedges (for serving)
• crusty bread – for serving

Instructions

1. Rinse the mussels under cold water, scrubbing the shells and pulling off any beards. Discard any with cracked shells or that stay open when tapped.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the shallot is translucent and fragrant, 3–4 minutes.
3. Pour in the white wine and bring to a rolling boil. Season with the black pepper.
4. Add the mussels, toss to coat, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until the shells open, 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice. As mussels open, transfer them to a warm bowl; discard any that remain closed.
5. Boil the cooking liquid uncovered until slightly reduced and flavorful, 2–3 minutes. Remove the thyme and bay, take the pot off the heat, and whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and the parsley until the sauce is glossy.
6. Return the mussels to the pot or pour the sauce over the mussels in the bowl. Serve immediately with crusty bread and lemon wedges.