Mussels Steamed in White Wine

This is one of the best and easiest ways to cook mussels; and the result—bowls of steaming hot mussels, scented with herbs and white wine—is irresistibly satisfying. Be sure to pass French bread with the soup and set large bowls on the table for the finished shells; everybody happily slurps, dunks bread, and sips white wine. Mussels cooked this way make a delicious meal in themselves; they also provide the basic broth for more elaborate soup variations.

The process for steaming muss