| 1 | Thoroughly scrub the mussels to remove all exterior sand and dirt. |
| 2 | Place them in a large kettle along with the shallots, onions, parsley, salt, black pepper, cayenne, wine, butter, bay leaf and thyme. |
| 3 | Cover. |
| 4 | Bring to a boil. |
| 5 | Simmer until the mussels have opened (5-10 minutes). |
| 6 | Discard any mussels that do not open. |
| 7 | Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth into a saucepan. |
| 8 | Remove the mussels from their shells. |
| 9 | Discard the shells. |
| 10 | Set the mussel meat aside. |
| 11 | Bring the liquid in the saucepan to a boil. |
| 12 | Add the cream. |
| 13 | Return to a boil. |
| 14 | Immediately remove from the heat. |
| 15 | Add the beaten egg yolk. |
| 16 | Return to the heat only long enough for the soup to thicken slightly ~ do not boil! stir in the hollandaise sauce and add the mussel meat just before serving. |
| 17 | Serve hot or cold. |
