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5 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

4 tablespoons flour

1 cup mussel broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

Few grains of cayenne pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until just soft. Add the flour, mix well, and let it cook gently for a minute or two. Gradually stir in the mussel broth; continue stirring until the sauce is thickened. Add the cream slowly; add the seasonings and taste to be sure there is enough curry. Finally add the mussels and let them heat through. Serve with steamed rice, crisp fried onions, and chutney.

STEAMED MUSSELS

Place 2 quarts mussels with 1 cup water in a saucepan. Cover and steam over low heat until the mussels open. Taste the broth for salt. Serve the mussels with the broth and a little melted butter. This dish lacks the rich flavor of mussels steamed over white wine, but some people prefer this method.

MUSSELS CREOLE

Prepare 2 quarts of mussels as for mussels marinière. Remove the mussels from the shells and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons chopped celery

4 tablespoons chopped green pepper

2/3 cup tomato sauce

1 cup mussel broth

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Pinch of thyme

Sauté the onion in the butter and olive oil. Add the celery, pepper, tomato sauce, and broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Add more broth if the sauce gets too thick. Add the garlic, parsley, and thyme, and taste for seasoning. Finally add the mussels. Serve with steamed rice or risotto.

BARBECUED MUSSELS

2 quarts mussels, steamed as for mussels mariniére

4 tablespoons chili sauce

Few grains of cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons whiskey

Salt (if needed)

Beurre manié (page 475)

Chopped parsley

Steam the mussels as for mussels marinière. Remove the empty half shell. Strain the broth, put it over high heat, and reduce it by half. Add the chili sauce, cayenne, garlic, and whiskey. Taste for salt and thicken with a little beurre manié. Pour over the mussels and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with plenty of toasted French bread.

STUFFED MUSSELS PROVENÇALE

Prepare 2 quarts of mussels as for mussels mariniére. Remove the empty half shell. Blend together:

6 finely chopped shallots or green onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup bread crumbs

When all this is well blended, spoon it into the shells containing the mussels. Sprinkle with additional crumbs. Arrange in a baking pan with a little white wine in the bottom. Bake in a 400° oven until the sauce is melted and delicately browned.

MUSSELS IN CREAM

Wash and beard 2 quarts of mussels. Place them in a saucepan with a finely chopped onion, a branch of celery, and a sprig of parsley. Add 2 cups water, cover the pan, and steam until the mussels open. Remove the mussels from the shells and keep them warm.

Prepare 11/2 cups of sauce béchamel (page 23), using some of the mussel broth. Season well and add the mussels. Serve in patty shells, over rice, or on mounds of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley.

MUSSEL FRITTERS

Prepare mussels as for mussels in cream. Heat fat or oil to 360° for deep-fat frying. Prepare beer batter (page 99), dip each mussel into the batter, and fry in the hot fat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve with tartar sauce (pages 35–36).

SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSEL SAUCE

See spaghetti with clam sauce, page 368.

Oysters

Many gourmets, or so-called gourmets, tell you that to eat an oyster in any fashion except directly from the shell is to show ignorance of gastronomic tradition and the rules of good taste. This is nonsense. While there may be nothing quite so wonderful