Summer vegetable soup with mussels

19th July 2016 - Recipes

Quick recipe finder Summer vegetable soup with mussels

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

10 to 30 mins

Serves

Serves 4

This summery soup is revved up with a dash of zingy homemade salsa.

Each serving provides 311kcal, 11g protein, 6g carbohydrate (of which 6g sugars), 23g fat (of which 8g saturates), 4g fibre and 2.2g salt.

By James Martin From James Martin: Home Comforts

Ingredients

For the soup

50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
150g/5oz courgettes, trimmed, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm/½in cubes, leafy fronds reserved
150g/5oz carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
100g/3½oz celery stems, trimmed, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
8 radishes, trimmed, cut in half from top to base
500g/1lb 2oz mussels, rinsed, scrubbed, beards removed (discard any mussels that do not close tightly when firmly tapped)
150ml/5fl oz white wine
750ml/1¼ pints vegetable stock

For the salsa verde

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, stalks reserved
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill fronds, stalks reserved
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves, stalks reserved
2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley leaves, stalks reserved
2 tbsp chopped fresh watercress leaves, stalks reserved
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1 large shallot, roughly chopped
6 anchovies, drained, roughly chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
½ lemon, juice only
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

For the soup, melt the butter in a heavy-based, lidded saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add all of the vegetables and fry gently for 4-5 minutes, or until just softened.
Add the mussels, wine and stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Cover the pan with the lid and reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. (Discard any mussels that do not open during cooking.)
For the salsa verde, put all the herbs in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the shallot, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, mustard and oil and blend to a rough purée. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the salsa verde.
Serve immediately, with an extra dollop of salsa verde on top of each portion. (Any remaining salsa verde can be decanted into an airtight container and covered with a thin layer of olive oil. It can be kept in the fridge for up to four days.)

James Martin: Home Comforts

9. Veg Patch Dinners

BBC Two

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