Soupe Au Pistou With Mussels
Picholine, New York City
Soupe Au Pistou With Mussels
Picholine, New York City
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1/4 cup small pasta such as elbow macaroni or tripolini 1/2 cup 1/4 inch pieces haricots verts (French thin green beans) 1/2 cup 1/4 inch dice peeled plum tomatoes 1 cup cooked dried cannellini beans (about 1/3 cup dried) 2 pounds small mussels (preferably Prince Edward Island) 1 bacon slice 2 large garlic cloves 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup 1/4 inch dice onion 1/2 cup 1/4 inch dice fennel bulb 1/2 cup 1/4 inch dice leek (white part only) 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 cup 1/4 inch dice zucchini 1/2 cup dry white wine 4 cups chicken stock or broth freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions: Fill a 1 1/2 quart saucepan three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (using package instructions as a guide), adding haricots verts to cook for last minute. In a colander drain pasta and haricots verts and rinse under cold running water. transfer pasta and haricots verts to a bowl and add tomatoes and cannellini. Scrub mussels well and remove beards. Chop separately bacon, garlic, and basil. In a 4 quart heavy kettle cook bacon in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion, fennel, leek, saffron, bay leaves, and salt and cook, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add wine and increase heat to high. Boil mixture 1 minute. Add stock and return to a boil. Simmer mixture, uncovered, over moderately low heat 5 minutes. Stir in bean mixture and mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat 4 to 8 minutes, or until mussels are opened. (Discard any unopened mussels after 8 minutes.) Stir basil into mixture and season with salt and pepper. Divide soup among 4 large heated bowls, discarding bay leaves. Serves 4.
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