Saffron Mussel Soup

Name: Saffron Mussel Soup
Yield: Makes 12 First-Course or 6 Main-Course Servings
Ingredients: 8 pounds firm-fleshed fish such as red snapper, sea bass, striped bass, or grouper; 8 pounds firm-fleshed fish such as red snapper, sea bass, striped bass, or grouper; 2 medium-size onions, chopped; 8 pounds firm-fleshed fish such as red snapper, sea bass, striped bass, or grouper; 8 pounds firm-fleshed fish such as red snapper, sea bass, striped bass, or grouper; 2 shallots, finely chopped; 4 pounds cultivated mussels, well scrubbed and sorted, about 80; 1 bouquet garni; 2 cups dry white wine; 4 large tomatoes, cut in half crosswise and seeds squeezed out; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small fennel bulb, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; salt and pepper; pinch of saffron threads, about ¼ teaspoon, soaked in 1 tablespoon water for 20 minutes; pinch of saffron threads, about ¼ teaspoon, soaked in 1 tablespoon water for 20 minutes; 1 cup heavy cream; slices of French bread, toasted; salt and pepper

Preparation info

Makes
12
First-Course

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

About

This soup combines the briny flavor of fresh mussels with garlic, fennel, and Mediterranean herbs. It is one of the deepest-flavored fish soups I know—probably because fresh whole fish is used to make the basic soup, which functions as a flavorful backdrop for the briny flavor of the mussels. Saffron threads tint it orange and give it a final pungent note of flavor.

This soup is complicated, but much of the work can be broken down into simple stages.

Ingredients

Starter
Main course
Pescatarian
Soup

Ingredients

Method