Mussel and Fennel Bisque

Name: Mussel and Fennel Bisque
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 bay leaf; 1 Tbsp brandy; 3 Tbsps butter, divided; 59 milliliters 1/4-inch cubes peeled carrot; 1 teaspoons dried thyme; 237 milliliters dry white wine; 591 milliliters 1/2-inch cubes fresh fennel bulbs, divided, fennel fronds chopped and reserved for garnish; 237 milliliters heavy whipping cream; 946 milliliters (about) bottled clam juice or low-salt chicken broth; 907 grams mussels, scrubbed, debearded; 59 milliliters long-grain rice; 118 milliliters chopped shallots (about 2 large); 1 teaspoon tomato paste

Mussel and Fennel Bisque might be just the main course you are searching for. This recipe covers 21% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. One portion of this dish contains roughly 14g of protein, 23g of fat, and a total of 360 calories. This recipe serves 6. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes. Head to the store and pick up cubes carrot, wine, tomato paste, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the butter you could follow this main course with the Cinnamon Butter Cake as a dessert.

Instructions

Combine mussels and wine in large pot.Cover; bring to boil. Boil until musselsopen, about 5 minutes (discard any that donot open). Using tongs, transfer to largebowl.

Ingredients you will need

Mussels

Wine

Equipment you will use

Tongs

Pot

Pour cooking liquid through strainerset over 8-cup measuring cup.

Equipment you will use

Measuring Cup

Add enoughclam juice to cooking liquid to measure 5cups.

Ingredients you will need

Juice

Remove mussels from shells; place insmall bowl. Discard shells. Cover musselsand chill until ready to use, up to 8 hours.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in largesaucepan over medium heat.

Ingredients you will need

Mussels

Butter

Pasta Shells

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add 1 1/2 cupsfennel cubes and carrot; sauté until fennelis slightly softened, about 10 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Carrot

Addshallots; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add clam juice mixture, rice, tomatopaste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to boil.Reduce heat to medium-low; partially coverand simmer until rice is tender, stirringoccasionally, about 25 minutes. Discardbay leaf. Cool slightly. Working in batches,puree in blender. Return to saucepan.

Ingredients you will need

Clam Juice

Bay Leaves

Thyme

Rice

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Blender

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butterin small nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add 1 cup fennel cubes; sauté until crisptender,about 7 minutes. Season with saltand pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Fennel

Pepper

Remove from heat. do ahead

Bisque mixture and sautéed fennel can bemade 8 hours ahead. Cool slightly. Chillbisque mixture uncovered until cold, thencover and keep chilled. Cover and chillfennel. Bring bisque mixture to simmerbefore continuing.

Ingredients you will need

Bisque

Fennel

Add whipping cream, brandy, andmussels to bisque mixture; bring to simmer.Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladlebisque into 6 bowls.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Whipping Cream

Bisque

Brandy

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Sprinkle sautéed fennelcubes atop bisque.

Ingredients you will need

Bisque

Garnish with choppedfennel fronds and parsley, if desired.

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Parsley

Try a crisp white winewith the bisque. We like the very affordable

Ingredients you will need

Bisque

Snoqualmie 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($

Ingredients you will need

Sauvignon Blanc

from

Washington State.

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

bay leaf 1Tbsp

brandy 3Tbsps

butter, divided 59milliliters

1/4-inch cubes peeled carrot 1teaspoons

dried thyme 237milliliters

dry white wine 591milliliters

1/2-inch cubes fresh fennel bulbs, divided, fennel fronds chopped and reserved for garnish 237milliliters

heavy whipping cream 946milliliters

(about) bottled clam juice or low-salt chicken broth 907grams

mussels, scrubbed, debearded 59milliliters

long-grain rice 118milliliters

chopped shallots (about 2 large)1teaspoon

tomato paste

Recommended wine: Chardonnay, Muscadet, Riesling

Chardonnay, Muscadet, and Riesling are great choices for Shellfish. Buttery chardonnay is great for scallops, shrimp, crab, and lobster, while muscadet is a classic pick for mussels, oysters, and clams. If you've got some spice in your shellfish, a semi-dry riesling can balance out the heat. The A to Z Chardonnay with a 4.2 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 15 dollars per bottle.