5 to 6 dozen mussels

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

2 to 3 cloves minced garlic. Use more if you prefer.

Freshly chopped parsley, a good handful

1 to 2 tsp. oregano

Chopped fresh basil to taste

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup of good, white Portuguese wine

1 lemon, cut into wedges

2 lbs. fresh spinach, scrupulously cleaned



In a large kettle, add the butter and olive oil and heat. Sauté the garlic with the herbs and the pepper. Add the mussels and wine and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and steam until the mussels are open. As with all shellfish, discard any mussels that do not open. Place the fresh spinach in bowls. Add the mussels and ladle over the broth. The broth will wilt the spinach. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Serves 2 for dinner or 4 as an appetizer.

(serves 2)
1 lb mussels
Sauce for mussels:
2 tbsp butter
½ red onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup Medeira fortified wine
½ cup whipping cream
1 sprig of rosemary
Wash Mussels in cold water under tap. Trim Bisel thread or Beard with a sharp knife. Mussels should be closed to ensure they are still alive. Discard any open Mussels.

Start sauce for the mussels first. It needs to get bubbling. Put pan on grill. Sautee onions and garlic in butter. Pour in wine. Heating the wine will let the alcohol cook out. Add whipping cream and rosemary to taste. Cover pan and let cook until bubbling.

Add Mussels to bubbling sauce. Potatoes take the same amount of time to cook as Mussels.