The simplest way to cook a feast of seasonal mussels is with a little wine, cream and herbs as in this classic French recipe ... Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan with a tight-fitting lid.

With 70 recipes from local establishments ... chopped shallots 1 cup white wine 1 cup chunky tomato sauce 1 cup heavy cream Wash mussels in cold water, removing any stringy beards.

A final couple of rinses will ensure a sand-free meal. Mussels need very little cooking. Place them in the bottom of a large, heavy-based pan with a small amount of liquid and turn up the heat to ...

Buy a 1kg net of mussels. Scrub them well and discard any that remain open. Peel and finely chop 1 onion and Remove the thyme, stir in 200ml double cream and bring to a bubble, then tip in the ...