Mussels with White Wine

This is one of my favorite summer meals. Be sure to serve the mussels in bowls, with plenty of French bread to sop up the broth. Enjoy these with a crisp white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Sémillon.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs. minced shallots
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 1 cup crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 3 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Sauté until soft, making sure they don’t color, about 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the white wine, and bring it to a boil. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and steam until the shells open, 5 to 9 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. Take care not to overcook, and be sure to discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Add the parsley, ladle the mussels and the broth into serving bowls, and serve at once.