4 pounds mussels
1 cup white wine or bouillon
2 cloves garlic, pressed
6 ripe tomatoes, and chopped
OR 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained, broken up)
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Scrub the mussels and remove their beards. Discard any with cracked or open shells. Bring the wine, garlic and tomatoes to a boil in a large pot; add the mussels and steam, covered, until their shells open. Sprinkle with the basil and ground pepper to taste.
4 servings
