Moules Marinieres

Ingredients
1Kg Mussels alive-alive-ho!

Green Grocer
2-3 medium tomatoes chopped into 1cm squares.
1/2 Bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped.
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
Maybe a few finely chopped shallots

Dry Store
1/2 bottle of White wine
Pepper
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Method
Heat the pan, add the oil and heat to smoking point. Quickly saute shallots then garlic then tomatoes just for a few seconds. Add pepper, mussels and white wine and put the lid on. The wine should bubbly like crazy for 5 minutes. Give the pan a shake occasionally to shift the mussels on the top to the bottom. DO NOT OPEN THE LID for at least 5 minutes. You can't steam something without steam and steam has a habit of departing from an open pot.

Check that 'most' of the mussels have opened (otherwise, give it a few more minutes).

Pile the mussels into a shallow bowl with some of the broth. Serve with more of the same wine and crusty bread that you rip at the table and dip in the broth. Sprinkle each bowl with some fresh chopped tomato and the parsley.

Notes

Beautiful food

Opulent. I am humbled by the sheer classiness of Cloudland. Perhaps,i hear you say, my judgement was impaired. Did you know that talking to a beautiful woman will decrease your IQ by up to 20 points? To which I reply that I am sure that I had my wits about me.
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Washed down with a 2008 -- pinot noir. An unusual pinot with heavy wood which left a real tingle on the tongue as it dissipated.