Belgian Cooked Mussels

Serves 4 in 2 hours (included 1.5 hours soaking of mussels in salted
water)

As long as the name of the month has an "R" in it : means for us
Belgians that theRe aRe fResh mussels aRound!
This basic mussel-recipe is delicous when served with bread and the
cooking-water of the mussels. Of course you can serve it with the
authentic Belgian (french...) fries. Yes, we insist : we invented the
fries, but we didn't give an english name to it...

Tips

* Whatever vegetables you add to the cooking water, make sure celery
is a part of it!

* Buying mussels
- Ask your mussel-seller how much mussels to by for how many
people. Rule of thumb : each person eats about 1 pound (500gr) mussels.

- Check if the mussels you buy are well closed. Try to open one,
if you cannot open it, means it should be good and fresh.

* Serving mussels
If after cooking you see mussels with sand in it, remove them,
otherwise your guests will be grinding their teeth...

4 pound (2kg) mussels
a lot of onions : at least 4 : sliced
1 green celery : sliced
1 leek : slice into rings
2 carrots : sliced
a dash of vineager (at most 3 fluid oz, 100 ml)
some butter to fry the onion
pepper to taste
salt to taste (1 teaspoon)

Clean the mussels : the shells shoud be black and smooth, without
any "beards' nor "crusty grey stuff".
Put the mussels in a bucket of salted water, stir them around and
leave them there for 1 and a half hour.
Take the mussels 1 by 1 out of the bucket. Press them between your
thumb and fingers : any mussel that is open or opens has to be thrown
away! We only want the mussels to be open after they are cooked. Drain
the water in a colander.
Take a big and high pot and melt the butter. Add onions and the
other vegetables and fry until the onions are golden (about 5 minutes)
Add the mussels on top, add salt and pepper and vinegar. Put the
lid on the pot and cook on a low fire.
Check the mussels : if the mussels are well opened, they are ready.
If the mussels are still closed : shake them around in the pot and put
back on the low fire.
Serve the mussels with their cooking-liquid if you serve them with
bread. It's just delicious to dip your bread in the cooking-water of
the mussels!

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