Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

2 tb (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 lb Leeks; white part only,
-finely sliced(about 2 cups)
1/2 c Celery; white part only,
-finely sliced
4 ea To 6 shallots; finely
-chopped (about 1/3 cup)
8 ea Whole peppercorns
4 ea Whole allspice berries
1 ea Bay leaf
1/2 ts Dried thyme; crumbled
2 lb Fresh mussels; scrubbed and
-debearded
1 l Bottle English dry hard
-cider
1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 c All purpose flour
2 c Whipping cream
Nutmeg; freshly grated
Salt and freshly ground
-pepper
Fresh chives; snipped

Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in nonaluminum stockpot over
medium-high heat. Add leek, celery, and shallots and saute until
wilted and just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add peppercorns,
allspice, bay leaf and thyme and saute 2 to 3 minutes to flavor
vegetables. Add mussels and toss gently to blend. Pour in cider and
bring to a simmer. Cover and steam 5 minutes. Remove opened mussels
using slotted spoon and transfer to large bowl. Cover with damp cloth
and keep warm. Continue cooking remaining mussels until opened, about
5 minutes. Transfer opened mussels to bowl; discard any unopened
mussels. Reserve broth. Remove mussels from shells. Reserve 2 shells
for each serving of soup; discard remaining shells.
Ladle reserved broth through strainer lined with several layers of
moistened cheesecloth. Rinse and dry stockpot. Melt remaining 1/4 cup
butter in stockpot over medium-high heat until foamy. Add flour and
whisk 2 to 3 minutes. Blend in broth 1 cup at a time. Cook until
mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Continue cooking until slightly thickened and very smooth. Reduce
heat to low, add mussels and stir until just heated through. Taste
and adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into heated bowls. Garnish with
reserved shells. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

"Hearty Farmhouse Suppers" "Bon Appetit" February, 1983. Typos by
Jeff Pruett.

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