Mussel And Chard Soup Food

MUSSEL AND CHARD SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a 6-quart saucepan. Add the onion, and saute over medium heat until tender. Stir in the unpeeled tomatoes, and cook about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick.
• Add 2 pounds of the mussels, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, just until they open. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels, and set aside.
• Add the water, and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining mussels, fish trimmings, crabs, herbs, chili, bay leaves, peppercorns, orange peel, saffron and star anise. Simmer uncovered, skimming the surface from time to time, for 30 minutes.
• While the stock is cooking, remove the reserved cooked mussels from their shells, discard the shells, and refrigerate the mussels.
• When the stock is done, drain it into a colander over a large bowl, and return the liquid to the saucepan. The cooked seafood and other solids should be discarded.
• Boil down the liquid until it is reduced to 2 1/2 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a clean saucepan melt the butter, and cook until it starts to brown. Add the chopped peeled tomatoes, and saute briefly. Add the reduced seafood stock, bring to a simmer, and add the chard. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the shucked mussels, and simmer briefly to reheat them.
• To serve, divide the soup among 4 bowls. Drop a piece of the goat cheese on top of each, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Serve at once.

MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Pour reserved mussel cooking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a bowl. Set aside 24 mussels in their shells, then shuck remainder and halve them crosswise.
• Wash chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
• Cook leeks, carrots, bell peppers, and shallot with salt and pepper in butter and oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, uncovered, stirring, 1 minute. Add strained mussel cooking liquid and wine and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in halved mussels and cream and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Add reserved mussels in their shells and simmer until just heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

MUSSEL SOUP WITH AVOCADO, TOMATO, AND DILL

Steps:

• Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out leeks and pat dry.
• Cook leeks in butter in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beer and water, then increase heat to moderately high and bring to a boil. Add mussels and return liquid to a boil, partially covered. Cook, completely covered, stirring occasionally, just until mussels open wide, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring to a large bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 8 minutes.).
• Working over a bowl, remove mussels from shells and put in bowl (discard shells along with any clinging leeks). Pour any cooking liquid accumulated in bowl back into pot.
• Pour cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth or dampened paper towels into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in half-and-half, salt, and white pepper, then heat over moderately low heat until hot (do not let boil). Stir in mussels and heat until just warmed through.
• Meanwhile, halve avocado, then peel 1 half (wrap remaining half tightly in plastic wrap and reserve for another use). Cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then toss gently with tomatoes and dill in a bowl.
• Divide soup among 6 shallow bowls and spoon some avocado mixture into each. Serve immediately.
• It should be noted that the soup, without half and half, can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled (with shelled mussels in soup), covered. Remove mussels and reheat soup over moderately low heat before adding half-and-half and then proceeding with recipe.

MUSSELS WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a large pot that can later be covered, and turn the heat to medium. Cook the onion and chorizo, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
• Put the mussels in the pot; cover and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until mussels open, about 10 minutes. If they have not generated enough broth for you, add the wine and cook, uncovered, another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.