Moules Mariniere

Clean the mussels by filling up your sink with cold water and dumping them all in. Pick up each one and give it a gentle scrub. If you notice any mussels that are cracked or open, discard them.

Now you have to debeard the mussels. Most mussels will contain a string like seaweed that is in the crack of the mussel. All you have to do is pull it off. Do so by pulling towards the bottom of the shell and it will come off quickly. Repeat this for all the mussels. You many notice that they don't all have beards and that is fine. Once you have done this for all the mussels give the another rinse in cold water keep them in a cold water bath until you are ready to cook them.

In a large boiler set over a high heat add the butter and garlic. Cook for a minute before adding the onions. Toss the onions in and cook over a high heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring as they brown. Now reduce heat to low, splash in a little of the cooking wine and cover. Cook for about 12-15 minutes. Check every few minutes and give a good stir.

After the onions have completely softened, turn the heat back to high. Add the cooking wine and all the mussels at once. Stir really well cover and leave to cook for about 10 minutes. The cooking time may vary a little so they may be done quicker.. Stir them as they cook to ensure they are all cooking evenly. they will be cooked once the shells have opened and the meat inside is a salmon colour. Mussels that have not opened you can discard.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl and top with the torn parsley and a sprinkle of sea salt. Goes great with crusty bread as a starter.