Mussel Chowder with Colorful Vegetables

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Serving size:6
Total Time:
Mussel Chowder with Colorful Vegetables

Ingredients

  • 2 cup water
  • 1 cup bottled clam juice
  • 4 lb mussels, scrubbed (debearded, if necessary; see Note)
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cup peeled, diced all-purpose potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Bring the water and clam juice to a boil in a large pot. Add the mussels, return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the shells open, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a bowl, discarding any that do not open. Set aside 16 mussels in their shells and shuck the rest. Pour the mussel broth into a large glass measure and set aside to allow any sediment to settle.

Heat the butter and oil in a large soup pot. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, leeks, bell pepper, and shallot, and cook, covered, over low heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook briskly until reduced by about one-third, about 3 minutes.

Add the reserved mussel broth, leaving any sediment behind, and add the cream and the shucked mussels. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to blend flavors.

Add the reserved mussels in their shells. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. (The chowder is best when allowed to age for at least 4 hours, or overnight.)

Reheat gently. Ladle into bowls, making sure that each serving contains at least 2 mussels in their shells, and serve.

Note: To debeard mussels, pull out the dark threads that protrude from the shell. Do this just before cooking; mussels die when debearded.

Recipe from Dishing up Maine by Brooke Dojny/Storey Publishing, 2011.