Mussels A la Belge

° Serves 4

Belgians are great lovers of mussels, and I have a dear friend who often prepares them Belgian-style, garnished with French fries. They are equally good, though, served with sautéed potatoes (see Tip below).

Seasoned primarily with celery and onion, the mussels here are served shells and all in large bowls. If you want to be a bit fancier, remove the empty shells from each one after cooking them and serve them on the half shell, with the cooking juices spooned over them.

The mussels available now are commercially raised and so are much cleaner than they used to be. You don’t need to scrape the shells; just wash them thoroughly in cold water. If a shell is open, touch the mussel inside with the point of a knife. If the shell closes, you know the mussel is still alive and will be edible; if it doesn’t, discard the mussel.

I do not add any liquid or salt; the mussels release their own juice, which usually has a salty flavor. Add salt if needed after you taste before serving.

• 3 pounds mussels
• 2 onions (about 6 ounces total), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1¼ cups)
• 1¼ cups sliced celery
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt (optional)

Place the mussels in a large bowl of cold water and rub them against one another to clean them. Remove the beards, if any. Check to make certain that all the mussels are alive (see headnote).

Lift the mussels from the water and place them in a saucepan, preferably stainless steel. Add the onions, celery, Tabasco, and olive oil, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir with a large spoon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until all the mussels have opened. Taste for salt and add if needed.

Divide the mussels, vegetables, and broth among four bowls and serve immediately.

These are good served with sautéed potatoes (see Potatoes Persillade; Potatoes with Walnuts and Croutons; and Parsley Potatoes with Butter).