Recipe - Mussel Stew With Pineau Des Charentes

2 cup Dry white wine
2 Bay leaves
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh thyme
1 pn Powdered saffron
1 pn Cayenne pepper
2 pound Mussels, scrubbed,
debearded
3 tablespoon Butter
One half cup Chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Chopped garlic
2 tablespoon All purpose flour
1/3 cup Whipping cream
1/3 cup Chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon Pineau des Charentes OR
3 tablespoon White grape juice plus
1 One half T Cognac or other
brandy

Combine first 5 ingredients in large Dutch oven over high heat. Boil 3
minutes. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes.
Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to serving bowl,
discarding any that do not open; cover and keep warm. Reserve cooking
liquid.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and
garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in reserved
cooking liquid. Boil until reduced to Three fourths cup, about 7 minutes. Whisk in
cream and parsley. Reduce heat to mdium and simmer until liquid is reduced
to 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Mix in Pineau des Charentes. Season with salt
and pepper. Pour sauce over mussels and serve.

From the Poitou, Charentes & Bordeaux regions of France. Bon Appetit/May 94
Typed by Didi Pahl

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini