Complex, hearty, and bright! This salmon and mussel seafood stew has a delightfully fresh tangy flavor and a deep savory finish. Even though this is a warm stew, it is a tremendous option to have on a summer evening with a glass of white wine. Though it might have some more expensive recipe items, it is a worthwhile investment (especially if you’ll be dining with your significant other).

Recipe:

 Yield: 4 servings

 Estimated Time of Cooking: Roughly 40 minutes

 Ingredients:

3 pounds – Mussels

1 pint – Water

2 cloves – Garlic

1 – Medium onion

2 – Shallots

¼ cup – Butter

1 cup – White wine

2 cups – Heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon – Saffron, or just a few threads

Salt and pepper

2 ounces – Broccoli (tops only), blanched

2 ounces – Smoked salmon, diced

Steps:

1. Clean and wash the mussels in fresh water. Cook them over high heat, covered in the water. Remove them from their shells. Set aside, including the shells.
2. Slice the garlic, onion, and shallots. IN a medium skillet, melt the butter and sweat the vegetables for about 2 minutes. Add the wine; bring to a boil. Add the reserved stock from the mussels, the cream, and the mussel shells. Cook for 26 minutes over low heat.
3. Strain the soup and transfer to another pot. Bring the soup to the boil; add the saffron; boil 5 minutes more and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Purée the soup, if necessary, just until smooth. Evenly divide the mussels and broccoli into 4 soup bowls. Pour in the soup and top with the diced salmon.