Creamy Mussel Soup With Saffron And White Wine

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 to 40 minutes
Serves: 6
This is a perfect first-course soup. Saffron adds not only its subtle flavor but beautiful color.


Ingredients
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek (white and tender green), well rinsed and minced
1 medium celery rib, minced
2-1/2 cups Quick Fish Stock or clam juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
12 black peppercoms
12 parsley stems
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
In a nonreactive soup pot, combine mussels and wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, and cook until mussels have opened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove mussels from shells, reserving 6 large mussels and 6 half-shells for garnish. Discard any mussels that don't open. Strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a large bowl.

In same soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add fish stock, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley, saffron, remaining cooked mussels, and reserved mussel liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

In a food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until smooth and return to soup pot. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with cream and stir into soup. Add salt and pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Strain soup through a sieve into a large saucepan and simmer over medium heat until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide soup among 6 soup plates and garnish each serving with a mussel on the half-shell.