Mussels Provencale

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes, drained & chopped
• 1 (7 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine or 1 cup wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 24 mussels

Recipe

• 1 wash mussels in several changes of cold water; using a sharp knife, remove beards.
• 2 soak mussels for about 30 minutes in cold water containing a handful of salt& a handful of flour.
• 3 this will remove any sand inside the mussels.
• 4 in heavy saucepan, heat oil; saute garlic, onion& celery until soft but not brown.
• 5 add tomatoes& simmer for about 10 minutes to evaporate the remaining liquid.
• 6 add remaining ingredients (except mussels), cover& simmer for 30 minutes.
• 7 just before serving, add mussels, cover& simmer for 3- 5 minutes to allow the mussels open.
• 8 discard any that don't.