Scrub the mussels well and remove the stringy beard with a knife

A soapless scouring pad works well for scrubbing

Discard any mussels that are open

Mussels must be very fresh and used within one day of purchase. In a large saucepan, combine the mussels, garlic, onion, bay leaf, wine and water

Shake to distrib- ute the mussels and steam for about 3 to 4 min- utes, just until the mussels open

Remove the opened mussels, discarding any that are closed

Strain the broth through 2 thicknesses of damp- ened cheese cloth and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, and saute the scallions until softened

Add the strained mussel broth slowly, leaving any remaining sedi- ment in the pan

Cook rapidly for 4 or 5 minutes to reduce the volume and intensify the flavor

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes

Remove the mussels from the shells and add to the soup and taste for seasoning

Sprinkle a little chopped parsley to garnish each soup bowl

Serves 4.