Craig Claiborne, who brought this amazing cream of mussels soup to The Times in the 1960s and refined it over the years with his longtime kitchen collaborator Pierre Franey, once called it "the most elegant and delicious soup ever created." It is also one of the easiest to make. Use wine to steam open some mussels beneath a blanket of aromatics and use the resulting stock as a base for cream. Add the mussels and perhaps a grind of pepper. "One of the sublime creations on Earth," Claiborne wrote.
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Dinner, Lunch, Times Classics, Main Course, Side Dish
Servings
4
4 servings as an entree, 8 as an appetizer
Total time
50 min
Calories / serving
752 kcal
03
Strain liquid through a colander lined with cheesecloth and reserve; this is the base for the soup.
04When cool enough to handle, remove mussels from shells and reserve. Discard shells and aromatics.
05Bring reserved liquid to a low boil in a small saucepan. Add cream and return mixture almost to a boil, then remove from heat. Let cool slightly then add egg yolk and stir to combine. Return saucepan to heat and let thicken slightly. (Do not boil.)
06Taste and adjust seasoning. To serve, arrange mussels in center of large soup dishes and spoon liquid over them. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.