Moules Mariniere with Monteith's Cider

I like making a lot mussels and could happily polish off a kilo with a companion, but if you want to make less, use one kilo instead of two...mussels can go a lot further if you serve them up with a few big crusty loaves and are especially good for soaking up the juices!
 

2kg  mussels
2 cups of  Montieths cider - you can use any cider here, 
preferably a nice one so you can polish of the rest with dinner
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
1 leek, washed, half sliced in to thin rings, other half finely chopped
3 tblsp cream
½ cup of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

In a strainer, wash mussels under cold water  and remove any unremoved beards of sea barnacles and set aside.

Heat a large wok, pour in cider and bring to the boil for about a minute to remove alcohol and strengthen the fruity flavour of the cider. Pour cider into a separate dish and set aside.

Melt the butter and add the bay leaf and thyme followed by the leaks. Stir for about a minute, until the leaks just soften.

Add the mussels and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes, until the shells star to open. Pour the cream and half of the parsley over the mussels and cover again for another minute until the all the mussels have opened.

Serve mussels in large bowls with a good few ladels of the juice and the rest of the six pack of cider!