Discard any mussels that are not tightly closed. Scrub remaining mussels under cold running water. With a sharp knife, trim off the "beard" around edges. Place mussels in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak 1 to 2 hours, then drain. In a 6-quart kettle, saute onion and garlic in 1/3 cup butter until golden and tender-about 10 minutes. Add wine, lemon juice, 1/4 cup parsley, pepper, and thyme; bring to boiling. Add mussels; cook over high heat, covered, 5 to 8 minutes, or until shells open. Shake kettle frequently, so mussels will cook uniformly. With slotted spoon, remove mussels to heated serving dish. Cover with hot, damp cloth. Quickly return cooking liquid to boiling; boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups-about 5 minutes. Mix soft butter with flour until smooth. Stir into boiling liquid, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes longer. Taste, and add salt if needed. Spoon sauce over mussels; sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve immediately. Posted to EAT-L Digest 22 Aug 96 From: "Denise R. Jones" Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 15:17:36 -0400