Indian spiced mussel and saffron soup

Ingredients

4kg/8>lb Dutch mussels (if unavailable, use large French)
2 white or brown skin onions, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
50g/2oz unsalted butter
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 bouquet garni (thyme, celery, leak, bayleaf)
1.5 litres/2½ pints fish stock
300ml/10fl oz dry white wine
800ml/1¼ pints whipping cream
2 pinches saffron strands
salt and pepper
bunch thyme

Method

1. Wash the mussels in cold water and remove the beards (the stringy bits) and wash again.
2. Sweat the vegetables gently in the unsalted butter in a large stainless steel pan for 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder, cayenne pepper, saffron, pepper, bouquet garni and then the mussels.
4. Put a lid on the pot and cook for a further half minute. Add the white wine and stock and cook until the mussels have opened - remove them to a colander and return the juice to the stove to reduce by half.
5. Remove the mussels from the shells and store in an airtight container until needed for the garnish.
6. Add the cream to the reduced liquor and reduce a little further until the soup coats the back of the spoon. Adjust the seasoning where necessary and add the mussels to the soup and serve.