Neil Perry's mussel, fennel and chorizo soup

Name: Neil Perry's mussel, fennel and chorizo soup
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1kg mussels, cleaned and debearded; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 120g chorizo sausage, sliced; 1 small red onion, finely diced; 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 baby fennel bulb, diced; 2 tsp smoked sweet paprika; 1 tsp of mild chilli flakes; 250ml dry sherry; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 500ml chicken stock; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 lemon, juiced; freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Neil Perry

August 14, 2018

Time:< 30 minsServes:4

I love the salty sea flavour of mussels, which comes from the juice encased in their shells. This dish is perfect with a garlic-rubbed piece of bread drizzled with olive oil. But you could make it even more hearty by folding cooked pasta through the finished dish. Equally I love it served with rice, with a leafy green side salad and a good glass of riesling.

Ingredients

1kg mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
120g chorizo sausage, sliced
1 small red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp sea salt
1 baby fennel bulb, diced
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1 tsp of mild chilli flakes
250ml dry sherry
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g tin chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon, juiced
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Place mussels in a large pot over high heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid. After about 3-5 minutes, the mussels will start to open. Check and remove the open mussels with tongs and place into a bowl. Continue to check and remove mussels until they are all open. Reserve the remaining mussel juice and strain through a fine sieve to remove grit.
When cool, take the mussels out of their shells.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add the chorizo and fry until golden brown.
Add onion, garlic and sea salt to the pan and cook until the onion starts to soften. Add fennel, paprika and chilli and continue cooking until the fennel softens.
Add sherry and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add tomato paste, stir well and simmer for 5 minutes, then pour in tomato, stock and the reserved mussel juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Fold the mussels back into the soup and heat through, add the butter, lemon juice, a good grind of pepper and the parsley. Divide between 4 soup bowls and serve.