Mussels in Sauce with Grilled Buttered Bread

We love the frozen mussels that you find in a box and packed in a bag with garlic and butter. You can find them anywhere - many of them are imported from Ireland. 

Although they are great cooked and served with a baguette of bread and a salad, there are other ways to serve them. Add them to a fish chowder or New England stew. The garlic wine sauce is a time saver. 

We often serve them in a creamy sauce as a first course. Here's how I do it:

Chop about 1/4 cup of shallots and about 3/4 cup of celery (and tops) and 1/2 cup carrots and a few sprigs of parsley. Saute in buttery olive oil with a nice helping of Herbs d'Provence and some pepper and some celery seed.  (Salt to taste at the end because the garlic and wine sauce has salt.)  Sprinkle vegetables with Wondra or white flour and cook a few more minutes.

Cook the mussels in the packaging in the microwave - about 5-6 minutes per bag until all are opened. Discard the one or two that haven't opened. Shell all but about 8-12 mussels. 

Add about 1/2 cup or more of cream to the vegetables and stir until you have a nice creamy sauce. Add the shelled mussels. 

Plate in warmed soup plates and top with a few mussels in the shells, sprinkle with chopped chives, and add buttered and grilled bread or croutons.