Recipes
Curried mussel soup (Serves 6)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- White part of 1 leek, finely sliced
- 100g butter
- 1tsp mild curry powder
- 400ml dry white wine
- 2kg mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
- 500ml chicken stock
- A few sprigs thyme, leaves picked
- A pinch of cayenne
- A pinch of saffron
- 500ml double cream
- 1 medium potato, peeled and finely sliced
- Chives, for garnish
Soften the onion, celery and leek in the butter without colouring and add the curry powder. Add the wine and reduce by two thirds. Turn up the heat to medium, add the mussels, cover and cook for five minutes until the mussels have opened. Strain, reserving the mussel juices, and leave to cool. Return the liquid to the pan and add the stock, thyme, cayenne pepper and saffron. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the cream and potato, and simmer for another five minutes. Blend until smooth, and season. Remove the mussels from their shells and gently warm in the soup. Divide the mussels between the bowls, pour over the soup and sprinkle with chopped chives.