Herb-Topped Mussels on the Half Shell

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 0.3 cup bottled clam juice 
• 2  bacon crumbled cooked
• 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half 
• 0.3 cup leek chopped
• 1 teaspoon juice of lemon fresh
• 0.5 teaspoon lemon rind grated
• 24 medium mussels scrubbed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon oregano fresh chopped
• 1.5 ounce bread white

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• sieve
• baking pan
• broiler

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 50
2. Arrange mussels in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Bake at 500 for 8 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells.
4. Remove mussels and cooking liquid from dish. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.
5. Remove meat from mussels. Reserve 24 shell halves. Discard remaining shells. Arrange reserved mussel shells on a jelly roll pan; place 1 mussel in each shell.
6. Heat a small saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
7. Add leek; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
8. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in cooking liquid, clam juice, and half-and-half; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 3 minutes). Stir in rind and juice.
9. Preheat broiler.
10. Place bread in a food processor, and process until fine crumbs measure 3/4 cup.
11. Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, oregano, oil, pepper, and bacon. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon sauce over each mussel. Lightly pack 2 teaspoons breadcrumb mixture into each shell. Broil 1 1/2 minutes or until golden.