1 tsp. butter or stick margarine
1/2 C. minced shallots
1-1/2 C. dry white wine
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
50 mussels (about 2 lb.), scrubbed and debeared
2 C. clam juice
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 C. 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 C. chopped fresh chervil or parsley

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add minced shallots, and sauté 3 minutes. Add the wine and next 5 ingredients (wine through garlic); bring to a boil. Add mussels. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until the mussels open; discard any unopened shells. Strain the mussel mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Reserve 12 shells with meat intact. Remove meat from the remaining shells. Chop meat and add to pan; discard shells. Add reserved cooking liquid, clam juice, black pepper, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, and cook 1 minute or until soup is thoroughly heated. Pour soup into serving bowls. Top with reserved mussels and chervil. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1-1/4 C. soup, 3 mussels, and 1 T. chervil).

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 205
Fat: 4.5g
Fiber: .2g