Keith Floyd

Mussel Chowder

Serves 4

6½ pounds (3kg) Mussels
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 stalks of fresh parsley (chop the leaves for the garnish)
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bottle of dry white wine
Butter
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 onions, finely chopped
2 leeks, diced
4 carrots, finely diced
6 potatoes, diced
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (or some saffron if you can afford it)

Wash the mussels thoroughly in plenty of swirling water, removing beards and barnacles. Discard any that are open. Heat a large pan and add the mussels, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley stalks, thyme and about a third of the wine. Cover and cook until the mussels have opened. Discard any which do not open. Pour the contents of the pan through a conical sieve and reserve the juices. Leave about 16 of the mussels in their shells, and of the remainder leave half whole and chop the rest.

In a clean pan heat a little butter and sweat the garlic, onions, leeks and carrots. Add the rest of the wine and the stock from the mussels. Add water to cover until they are tender. Add the whole and chopped mussels and most of the cream and heat through. Add the turmeric or saffron, then drop in the mussels in their shells. Heat through once again, then serve with chopped parsley and a swirl of the remaining cream.