Ingredients
3 lbs mussels, cleaned and beards removed
1 1/2 cups good white wine
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (Vidalia is nice)
4 slices bacon
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/2-1 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce (to taste)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 lime, juiced
Preparation
Place the wine, garlic clove and mussels in the bottom of a pot large enough to accomodate the mussels. Bring the wine to a boil, cover the pot tightly and lower the heat to medium, steaming the mussels until they are completely open. Discard any mussels that do not open. With a slotted spoon remove the mussels and when cool enough to handle remove the meat and set aside. Drain the liquid through a coffee filter and set aside as well. Discard the garlic and the mussel shells, keeping a few with the meat intact for garnish if desired. Chop the bacon into 1" pieces and saute in a meduim-sized pot (or the same pot used for the mussels, wiped clean) on medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain off half the bacon fat and add the leek, onion, celery, salt and pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Saute until the onions are clear and limp. Add 1 cup of water and simmer, covered, on low for 12 minutes. Add parsley, dill and lime juice. Remove bay leaf. Puree the soup in a blender or with a hand mixer. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the cream, chopped bacon and mussels. Simmer on low low heat just to heat through. Garnish with a few mussels and (if desired) a few slices of fried leeks and a few strands of lime peel.
