Mussel & Saffron soup

[dragnlaw]

Picked up the Feb/Mar '18 Fine Cooking magazine. A recipe by Chef Curtis Stone looked amazing but when I read it thru - I was a bit agitated over the fact that...

... from 5 1/2 lbs of mussels he removes only 12, sets aside...

simmers the rest for 8 or 10 min... Strains the soup and DISCARDS the rest of the mussels and aromatics!

It is seriously against my religion to chuck away mussels like that.

Perhaps I would sacrifice just a few and then sprinkle with a dry fish stock to make up for it?

What say the flavour gourmands here?

 

[Steve Kroll]

I sure wouldn't discard the mussels.

If the goal is to jack up the flavor, you might try adding a jar or two of clam juice to the base and reserve more of the mussels. I've done this with other seafood stews, and had good results.

 

[DKRich]

I would think one needs to be very careful with the saffron dosage, it can overpower and if using wonderful sea food could kill the natural flavour.

 

[dragnlaw]

Very true DK. It does only use "a pinch" but my pinch might be a lot different than some else.

5.5 lbs of mussels + 3 cups white wine (Riesling) + 2 cups fish stock and last - 1 cup heavy cream. Recipe serves 4.

There is also curry, sweet onion, leek and celery.

I think I would really rather taste it by someone else before I would commit to make it. I'm not very good at reducing a recipe to Serve 2. Especially a soup.