astray recipes: Billi bi

Categories: Soups
Yield: 4 Servings

Measure	Ingredient
2 pounds	Mussels
2	Shallots, Chopped Coarsely
2 smalls	Onions, Quartered
2	Sprigs Parsley
	Salt
	Black Pepper, Ground
1 pinch	Cayenne
1 cup	Dry White Wine
2 tablespoons	Butter
½	Bay Leaf
½ teaspoon	Thyme
2 cups	Heavy Cream
1	Egg Yolk, Lightly Beaten
2 tablespoons	Sauce Hollandaise

Thoroughly scrub the mussels to remove all exterior sand and dirt.

Place them in a large kettle along with the shallots, onions, parsley, salt, black pepper, cayenne, wine, butter, bay leaf and thyme. Cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until the mussels have opened (5-10 minutes). Discard any mussels that do not open. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth into a saucepan. Remove the mussels from their shells. Discard the shells. Set the mussel meat aside.

Bring the liquid in the saucepan to a boil. Add the cream. Return to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat. Add the beaten egg yolk.

Return to the heat only long enough for the soup to thicken slightly ~ DO NOT BOIL! Stir in the Hollandaise sauce and add the mussel meat just before serving. Serve hot or cold.

billi bi