ZUPPA DI COZZE – Mussel Soup
Ingredients
4 dozen small mussels in their shells
¼ cup coarsely chopped onions
¼ cup coarsely chopped celery
1 tsp. coarsely chopped garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. freshly chopped basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
If the amount of liquid called for in the ingredients sounds insufficient for a soup, do not worry. The shellfish produce their own liquid when cooked, and the dish, although served as a soup, is actually more like mussels in a seasoned liquid.
Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush or soapless steel-mesh scouring pad under cold running water. With a small, sharp knife cut off their “beards” — the very strong, black, ropelike tufts on their shells with which they attach themselves to their anchorages in the sea.
Combine the chopped onions, celery and garlic on a cutting board and chop them into very small pieces. (This mixture is called a battuto; when cooked it is called a soffrito.)
Heat the oil in a 3 to 4 quart dutch oven. Over moderate heat, cook the chopped vegetables in the oil with the basil and a few grindings of pepper.
Stirring frequently, cook the soffrito for 8 to 10 minutes, or until iti s lightly colored.
Pour the white wine and boil it briskly to reduce it to the about ¼ cup.
Add the chopped tomatoes and their liquid and simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes.
Drop in the mussels, cover the pan, and cook over high heat, shaking the pan from time to time so that the mussels cook through evenly.
At the end of 10 minutes, the mussels should all be open; if not, cook a few minutes longer. (If any mussels do not open — discard them).
To serve, ladle the mussels, shells and all, into individual soup bowls and spoon the soup over them.
(Note: You should add an extra dish or bowl on the table to place the shells of the mussels.)
Sprinkle each serving with grated lemon peel and accompany with hot, crusty Italian bread, which you can dip into any remaining seasoned broth.
Serves 4
Preparation and Cooking Time: 55 minutes
about the author: Rosemary Gullo
Rosemary is the author of Healthy Italian Cooking.
Healthy Italian Cooking is packed with dozens of tasty recipes and is Easy to Use. Each section takes you step by step through a new meal for your family. It is full of tips, tricks and secrets that will not only show you how to cook healthy Italian food, but will also cut down on cooking time and make dinner preparation simple.
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