Lemon-Pepper Mouclade

Step 1: Mussels

Scrape the mussels, debeard, and wash by rubbing them against each other to clean well. Drain in a colander.

Peel, and thinly slice the shallots and yellow onion.

Tie up a small bouquet garni with the parsley stems, thyme and bay leaf.

Place the mussels in a sauté pan fitted with a cover. Add the shallots, onion, bouquet garni, and the white wine.

Cover the pot, and bring to a boil as quickly as possible.

When the mussels have opened just slightly, drain in a colander placed over a stainless steel container.

Remove one shell from each mussel, then delicately take the mussels out of their shells, and remove any frills without damaging them. Remove the nerve beneath the mussel, delicately place the mussels back into their shells, and arrange them attractively on the serving plates.

Step 2: Topping

Peel two lemons with a vegetable peeler. Discard the pith, and julienne the rind evenly. Place in a saucepan.

Add cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over a high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, drain the rinds, and plunge them into a container filled with ice water. Drain and repeat this operation twice.

Juice all 4 lemons, and drain the juice through a fine-meshed strainer into a small pot. Add the sugar cubes and the blanched and drained lemon rind.

Candy the rind for 2 hours without boiling on the edge of the range.

Stalk, wash and drain the parsley.