Mussels a la Michel - Moules Mariner a la Michel

In a blender or food processor 4 pounds mussels:

2 onions medium or large peeled and quartered
4 large cloves garlic peeled
2 shallots
3/4 dry white wine
1 large stalk celery sliced
cracker black pepper to taste
Blend

In the pot: 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried taragon, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 to 1.5 cups dry white wine. You can play with the herbs to your tast but the tarragon is really important with the bay. Bring to a boil - boil about 5 minutes

Put the scrubbed mussels in the pot (you want about 2 lbs per person if this is the dinner and about 1 pound if it is an appetizer. Cover and cook until mussels open uncover and bathe mussels in the juice. Then strain out the liquid into another both and put the mussels aside. Strain the liquid again using a fine mesh stainer lined with paper towels (this is to get out any sand that may be there).

Put liquid back on the stove and boil about 15 minutes. Add the blender mix and 1 cup heavy cream - boil another 15 minutes (all uncovered) -

Chop 1/2 cup flat leaf parsely , chopped green ends of scallions, 1 large scallion fine diced: to put into sauce at the end


makea slurry out of 6 tablespoons cornstarch and a little water to mix - no lumps keep stirring add to boiling pot keep stirring pot. Throw in parsley, onion greens, some more fine chopped shallots, and when it thickens turn heat off and throw in half a stick of salted butter (not margarine please) this makes the sauces shiny and savory.

Ladle mussels into bowls then thickend sauce on top. Serve with thick slabs of French or Italian bread to sop the sauce. Yum

If you wish you can add 1/2 cup thick tomato puree for a rosy glow.