Moules Marinière

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded (about 100 mussels)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 5 (1-ounce) slices French bread

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large stockpot; stir well. Add mussels; cover and cook over high heat 13 minutes or until mussels open, stirring well after 3 minutes. Discard thyme, bay leaves, and any unopened shells. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon, and divide into 5 individual shallow bowls.
2. Combine flour and margarine in a small bowl; stir well. Add flour mixture to wine mixture, stirring with a wire whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon wine mixture over mussels. Serve with French bread.