Serves 4

This is a lovely cleansing broth, which is perfect for winter. If you don’t want to go down the curry route, you could give it a Thai flavour by adding some chopped lemon grass and peeled and sliced ginger instead of the spices.

25g butter
4 shallots, finely chopped
150ml dry white wine
1kg fresh mussels, cleaned as above
2 tbsp oil
1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
½ small fennel bulb, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp ground coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
Pinch saffron strands
100ml Noilly Prat
500ml fish stock
Freshly ground salt and pepper
2 tbsp fresh coriander

1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the shallots and 4 tablespoons of the wine, and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cook for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Strain the mussels, reserving the juices.
2 When cool enough to handle, remove the mussels from their shells and discard, together with the shallots.
3 Heat the oil in the same pan and add the leek, fennel and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the seasonings. Cook for a further minute and then add the Noilly Prat, fish stock, white wine and reserved juices. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4 Add the mussels and heat through for
2 minutes. Check the seasoning and ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with the fresh coriander and serve.

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