Mussels with Garlic and Fines Herbes

• Special Equipment: Coffee filter or cheesecloth
• 3 pounds mussels
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 4 shallot lobes, sliced thin
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 3 sprigs)
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped chervil leaves (about 4 sprigs)
• 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon leaves (about 2 branches)
• 1 teaspoon thinly sliced chive blades (about 3 blades)

1. Clean the mussels: Scrub them well under cold running water.
2. Debeard them, if necessary, pulling out any wiry fronds coming through the seams of the shells.
3. In a large pot or deep saute pan, combine the white wine, half the shallot, and the bay leaf.
4. Place the mussels on top and cover with a lid.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat to steam open the mussels, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. You may want to give them a stir after 2 minutes to disperse the heat evenly among the mussels.
7. When the mussels have opened (if there are a few that don't, this is an indication that they are dead or bad discard them), transfer them to four shallow bowls.
8. Strain the cooking liquid, through either a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth, into a clean pan, add the olive oil, remaining shallot, and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat.
9. Reduce the mixture slightly; it will condense to an opaque liquid.
10. Taste.
11. If it's too salty, add a little water.
12. Sprinkle the herbs and spoon the sauce over the mussels.
13. Serve promptly, with a tangy baguette torn into large pieces, which you can use to soak up the broth when you're finished with the mussels.

coffee filter, mussels, white wine, shallot, bay leaf, olive oil, garlic, flatleaf, chervil, tarragon, chive blades

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mussels-with-garlic-and-fines-herbes-101374 (may not work)