Mussels with Garlic and Fines Herbes

Ingredients

• Special Equipment: Coffee filter or cheesecloth
• 3 pounds mussels
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 4 shallot lobes
• sliced thin
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 3 sprigs)
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped chervil leaves (about 4 sprigs)
• 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon leaves (about 2 branches)
• 1 teaspoon thinly sliced chive blades (about 3 blades)

Instructions

1. Clean the mussels: Scrub them well under cold running water.
2. Debeard them, if necessary, pulling out any wiry fronds coming through the seams of the shells.
3. In a large pot or deep saute pan, combine the white wine, half the shallot, and the bay leaf.
4. Place the mussels on top and cover with a lid.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat to steam open the mussels, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. You may want to give them a stir after 2 minutes to disperse the heat evenly among the mussels.
7. When the mussels have opened (if there are a few that don't, this is an indication that they are dead or bad discard them), transfer them to four shallow bowls.
8. Strain the cooking liquid, through either a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth, into a clean pan, add the olive oil, remaining shallot, and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat.
9. Reduce the mixture slightly; it will condense to an opaque liquid.
10. Taste.
11. If it's too salty, add a little water.
12. Sprinkle the herbs and spoon the sauce over the mussels.
13. Serve promptly, with a tangy baguette torn into large pieces, which you can use to soak up the broth when you're finished with the mussels.