Quebecois Mussel Chowder (4)
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Clean the mussels really well, scrubbing the outsides, removing the beards and discarding any that are damaged or do not close when tapped on the side of the sink. Put them into a large saucepan and add the cider.
  2. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mussels open. Discard any that remain closed.
  3. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan and add the leeks and potatoes. Season with pepper. Cover and sweat the vegetables in the butter and a splash of water over a low heat for about 15 minutes, until starting to soften. Add a little more water every so often to ensure that the vegetables do not burn.
  4. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, remove them from the cider and take the meat out of most of them, keeping some in the shell as they look nice in the final dish.
  5. Add the cider and mussel juices to the leek and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Gently mash some of the potatoes to slightly thicken the juices.Add the cream and cod to the pan and, over a gentle heat, poach the cod for 2-3 minutes. Add the mussels to the soup and heat through.
  6. Season with pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice (you shouldn’t need any salt, as mussel liquor is pretty salty).Scatter with the parsley and serve.