mussels with apples and cream

In my home, mussels make an almost instant meal. Little sweet-fleshed mussels open up in the heat of simmering hard apple cider in a matter of just a few minutes. Apple, leek, and cream seem like natural
accompaniments for mussels, which not only taste of the sea, but, like most shellfish, also taste faintly sweet.

SERVES: 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pounds mussels
• 1 cup hard apple cider
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, minced
• 1 small apple, cored and chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Scrub the mussels very well to remove any bits of sand, seaweed, or other remnants from the sea.
2. Remove the mussels’ beards and any stringy bits that remain. Discard any mussels that remain open after you handle or tap them, because they are dead. Rinse them well and put them in a large, heavy saucepan. Pour in the hard apple cider. Cover the pan, bring the cider to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the mussels open, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Spoon the mussels into a serving dish and cover them to keep them warm, reserving the liquid in the saucepan. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking.
4. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter turns frothy, stir in the leek and apple. Decrease the heat to medium-low and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
5. Strain the liquid in the saucepan through a fine-mesh sieve and into the skillet with the leeks and apples. Stir in the heavy cream and thyme. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens and is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour over the mussels and serve.