How to Cook Cream Of Mussel Soup

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients needed to make Cream Of Mussel Soup:

• 3 lb 4 oz mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded and washed
• 1 leek, coarsely chopped
• 1 courgette, julienned
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 oz  butter
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 9 fl oz fish stock
• 7 fl oz white wine
• 5 fl oz double cream
• 1 egg yolk
• Large pinch of saffron
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking instructions for Cream Of Mussel Soup:

• Place a deep-bottomed skillet over moderately-high heat and throw in the mussels, once the pan turns hot.
• Pour in a bout of white wine and place a lid on top to steam the shells for a couple of minutes or until they snap open; throw away the ones which remain closed,
• Drain the mussels out using a fine sieve, into a bowl and set the strained cooking liquid aside.
• Remove the outer shells from the mussels and toss the flesh into a bowl,’ seta side.
•  Heat an oz of butter in the skillet until it melts and starts foaming.
• Throw in the shallot as well as leeks and chop one garlic clove into it.
• Stir fry the mixture for a couple of minutes or until they turn soft and stir in the saffron.
• Cook further for another 3-4 minutes and pour in the reserved strained liquid, followed immediately by the fish stock.
• Stir them all together until well combined and cook the mixture until it starts boiling.
• Reduce it to a simmer and continue to do so for a couple of minutes or until the veggies are cooked through.
• Drop in ¾ of the mussel flesh into the simmering mixture and stir them gently until distributed evenly throughout the soup.
• Turn off the heat and set the soup aside to cool to some extent before tipping it into your food processor.
• Blitz them into a smooth puree and pour it into a fine mesh sieve to strain it back into the skillet.
• Reheat the strained soup over moderate heat and whisk in the double cream until it blends completely into the mixture.
• Beat in the egg yolk and cook further for a minute or until the creamy soup turns thick.
• Adjust the seasonings and remove from heat.
• Toss parsley and rest of the garlic together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Divide the julienned courgette between the serving bowls and ladle the soup into each bowl.
• Top each serving with the reserved mussel flesh and scatter a large pinch of the garlic-parsley mixture on top.
• Serve hot along with toasted garlic bread.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons