A shellfish choice of soup
This mussel soup is adapted from the base components of moules frites, Belgium’s national dish, which originated in the 1700s when cheap and readily available mussels from the North Sea were combined with white vinegar, butter, shallots and the ever-important fries on the side.
There is no such thing as too many mussels
Mussels have fairly large shells but relatively small edible contents, so keep that in mind when determining how many to use in your soup. There’s nothing worse than making the effort to prepare a delicious stock then realising at the end that you used too few of the tasty molluscs.
Flex your mussels and add some herbs
Mussels go well with a range of herbs – in this recipe we chose parsley and fennel, but try thyme, tarragon and dill for alternative takes that are equally satisfying. If you feel like a really luxurious version, saffron is also a wonderful compliment.
Don't be shy to use your hands
Removing the meat from the mussel shell can sometimes be a challenge: using your fingers to grasp the shell while a fork is adopted to dislodge the mussel itself is usually the easiest and most time efficient approach. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty in the name of good food.
