Mussels are a speciality in Dutch restaurants but here is a great mussel soup.
Dutch mussel soup has been prepared and served on the tables of homes and neighborhood restaurants since the early 17th century. Combining a fairly simple soup stock made of white wine, chicken, carrots, bay leaves and celery with fresh, live mussels, Dutch mussel soup is dish that is both complex and satisfying. Dutch mussel soup makes a rich, hearty meal for a cool winter evening, especially when served with a loaf of hot, fresh French bread and a glass of cool, crisp brown ale.
750 ml. sauvignon blanc
Chicken leg
Large carrot, thinly sliced
1/8 tsp. powdered saffron
9 lb. live mussels
4 white onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 celery sticks
7 black peppercorns, crushed
2 ¾ oz. cornstarch
1 cup whipping cream
Sea salt (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Celery leaves, chopped (to garnish)
Pour the wine into a large saucepan and add 4 cups of water, the chicken leg, sliced carrot and the saffron. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 55-60 minutes.
Scrub the mussels under cold running water to remove the beards. Discard any mussels that do not close immediately when tapped, and any with broken shells. Add the mussels, onions, bay leaves, celery, crushed peppercorns and 2/3 cup water to the pan. Cover and cook over high heat for 5 minutes or until all the mussel shells have opened up.
Strain the mussels, reserving the cooking liquid in a small bowl. Discard closed mussels and remove the rest from their shells.
Strain 2 cups of the cooking liquid through a sieve lined with dampened muslin cloth two times. Add the cooking liquid to the soup.
Remove the chicken leg from the pan with a slotted spoon and cut the meat off the bone. Chop finely and reserve. Add the leeks to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with 2/3 cup water in a small bowl to form a thin paste. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the soup slowly, returning to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream, mussels and chicken meat. Transfer to individual serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped celery leaves to garnish. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!