Place the mussels in a colander in the sink, run cold water. Using a clean scrubbing brush, and taking one mussel at a time, place under the water and scrub off any debris like seaweed, sand, barnacles or mud that could be on the shell.

The “beard” is a clump of hair-like fibers that protrude from the side of the shell.

To remove the beard, grab it with your thumb and forefinger and tug it toward the hinge of the mussel shell. You may also use a knife to gently scrape away the beard.

If you find any mussels with a broken shell, discard them. If a mussel is open along the lips, lightly tap it shut. If the mussel closes again in response, it is alive. If it does not close in response, discard it.

In a double boiler: Add 1 cup of water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Place a second, slightly larger pot on top of the one containing the water, creating a double boiler. Place the mussels inside the top pot and cover. Cook until the mussels open. Once cooked, drain out the juice and set aside.

In a pan: Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Add the mussels, cover the pan and cook until the mussels open. Once cooked, drain out the juice and set aside.

In the olive oil, sauté the onion, garlic and jalapeños on medium heat. Add salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add flour to the mixture. Cook on medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly as flour can burn easily.

Add the tomato sauce, paprika and chorizo paste. Bring to a simmer. If the tomato paste tastes too acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar. Cook on low medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the wine and increase temperature to medium high heat to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Cook for about 7 minutes. Once evaporated, add the juice from the mussels.

Using a hand blender, blend the sauce into a smooth consistency.

To serve, heat and plate the sauce. Place open mussels on top and garnish with flat leaf parsley. Enjoy with a toasted baguette.