Mussel Bisque

By CangersFla

Ingredients

• 5 lb (2.5 kg) mussels, well scrubbed
• 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) dry white wine
• 4 cups or so (32 fl oz/1 liter) water or Fish Stock
• 1/4 cup (2 oz/60g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (4 oz/125 g) chopped leek or yellow onion
• 1/2 cup (2 oz/60g) chopped fennel (Optional)
• 1 cup (6 oz/185 g) peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 2 cups (10 oz/315 g) peeled and diced red potato
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads, steeped in 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) dry sherry
• 1 orange zest strip, 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
• 1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) heavy (double) cream, heated
• Sale and ground pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley or chervil

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Prep Tip: Thee is no need to debeard the mussels before cooking them. Will be able to remove the beards more easily once the shells have opened. Just be sure to scrub them well before cooking.

Discard any mussels that do not close to the touch.
In a large, wide pan over high heat, combine the mussels and wine.
Cover and cook, shaking the pan from time to time, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and, when mussels are cool enough to handle, discard any that did not open.
Remove the reminder from their shells, picking off and discarding the beards and the shells.
Pour the liquid through a sieve lined with damp cheesecloth (muslin) placed over a large bowl.
Add water or fish stock as needed to measure about 6 cups (48 fl oz/1.5 l).
Cover the cooked mussels with about 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) of the cooking liquid and refrigerate.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the leek or onion and the fennel, if using, and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8-10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, potato, saffron and sherry, orange zest, and the remaining 5 cups (40 fl oz/1.25 l) cooking liquid.
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potato is soft, about 20 minutes.

Select 18-24 perfect mussels for garnish and add the rest to the soup, along with the liquid in the bowl.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Add the cream and reheat very gently over very low heat, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed bowls. Garnish with the reserved whole mussels and the parsley or chervil and serve immediately.

Calories: 426 (kilojoules 1,789); Protein 16 g; Carbohydrates 19 g; Total Fat 32 g; Saturated Fat 19 g; Cholesterol 133 mg; Sodium 352 mg; Dietary Fiber 1 g