'''' MUSSELS AND OYSTERS CREAMY SOUP

 Mussels, oysters, wine, onion, parsley, thyme, butter, flour, fish stock, milk, AP cream, salt and pepper

35 mussels

20 oysters, removed from shell

1 1/2 cup wine

onioin, parsley, thyme

6 Tbsp butter

3 big onions

6 Tbsp flour

7 cups fish stock

2 1/2 cup milk

2 cup cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put wine, parsley, thyme, onions & mussels in a large saucepan. Cover & steam

until the mussels open. Discard mussels that do not open.

Strain & reserve wine & mussel liquor.

Put aside 10 of the cooked mussels, still in shells, to use as a garnish. Remove mussel meats from the other 15 mussels. Finely chop or mince 6 mussel meats. Roughly chop the remaining 8 mussel meats.

Melt butter in the same saucepan. Add chopped onion & cook until translucent.

Blend in flour & cook until frothy, then add minced mussel meats.

Measure wine & mussel liquor & add sufficient fish stock to make up 5½ cups liquid. Gradually stir this liquid & the milk into onion mixture 1 cup at a time, boiling between each addition.

Mix in cream, chopped mussels & oysters. Heat gently until the oysters are cooked. Add the 6 reserved opened mussels, still in shells, to soup.  Heat through but do not boil. Season to taste with salt & pepper.