Artichoke And Mussel Bisque Recipes

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup of the wine to a boil in a large, shallow pot. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the mussels open. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, separate the mussels from the shells and set aside, discarding the shells and any mussels that didn't open. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl and reserve.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, leek, carrots, garlic, saffron, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.
• Add 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid (discard the rest) and the rest of the wine, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the reserved mussels, the half-and-half, and the cream. Heat until just heated through but not boiling. Stir in the parsley or dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Combine mussels and wine in large pot. Cover; bring to boil. Boil until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any that do not open). Using tongs, transfer to large bowl. Pour cooking liquid through strainer set over 8-cup measuring cup. Add enough clam juice to cooking liquid to measure 5 cups. Remove mussels from shells; place in small bowl. Discard shells. Cover mussels and chill until ready to use, up to 8 hours. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups fennel cubes and carrot; sauté until fennel is slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add clam juice mixture, rice, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover and simmer until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender. Return to saucepan.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup fennel cubes; sauté until crisptender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. do ahead Bisque mixture and sautéed fennel can be made 8 hours ahead. Cool slightly. Chill bisque mixture uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Cover and chill fennel. Bring bisque mixture to simmer before continuing.
• Add whipping cream, brandy, and mussels to bisque mixture; bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle bisque into 6 bowls. Sprinkle sautéed fennel cubes atop bisque. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds and parsley, if desired.
• What to drink:
• Try a crisp white wine with the bisque. We like the very affordable Snoqualmie 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($8) from Washington State.

Steps:

• In a blender, cover and process tomatoes and peppers until pureed. In a large saucepan, saute the onion, garlic, thyme, basil and oregano in butter and olive oil until onion is tender., Add the broths, artichokes, cream, milk, sherry, cilantro and tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook for 10-12 minutes. , In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually add to saucepan. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until thickened; add Creole seasoning and pepper.

Steps:

• Saute onions in butter, over medium heat, for about 10 minutes, or until onions are soft.
• Add vermouth, artichokes, broth and thyme and simmer until the artichokes fall apart, about 10 minutes or so.
• Stir in cream and bleu cheese and simmer until melted.
• Carefully puree in a blender, or whir with your stick blender (if you do not own a stick blender, run, I said RUN out and get one! You will love it).
• Garnish with chives.

Steps:

• Remove the hearts and stems from the artichokes and discard the leaves. Chop the hearts and stems and place them in a large pot over low heat with the fennel and onion. Add the cream, just enough water to cover all, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
• Meanwhile, rinse and de-beard the mussels. In a separate large saucepan over medium low heat, sweat the garlic in the butter or margarine for 30 seconds. Add the cleaned mussels and the wine, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the mussels and reserve the liquid. (Note: Be careful not to brown the garlic.)
• Transfer the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the lemon juice, reserved mussel liquid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer and top each serving with some mussels. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Coat the tomatoes, bell peppers and artichoke hearts lightly with oil, place on grill just away from the hottest spot. Turn occasionally with tongs to sear all surfaces. Remove to a dish to let cool. Reserve any juices that accumulate.
• In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic with butter over medium heat, stirring. In a food processor, small chop the grilled vegetables. In saucepan with onion/garlic mixture, add vegetable stock, cream, grilled vegetables, and cilantro. Bring to simmer, stir to heat evenly. Combine cornstarch and water in a small separate bowl. Slowly add to saucepan while stirring to combine. The sauce will thicken slightly in 1 to 2 minutes to desired consistency. Add more cornstarch or water if necessary.
• Add salt, dash with pepper, to taste. Serve with suggested garnishes, if desired.

Steps:

• Saute leeks in butter or olive oil and place in food processor. Puree leeks.
• Add 3 cans of drained artichoke hearts and pulse in the the food processor until just short of pureeing. Should be coarse and still a bit chuncky.
• Mix together pureed ingredients, cream soup, broth, lemon juice and Italian dressing in stock pot and bring to simmer. Add 1/2 & 1/2 and heat thoroughly. Taste for seasonings and add salt as desired.
• Serve hot. Keeps well in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Remove the hearts and stems from the artichokes and discard the leaves. Chop the hearts and stems and place them in a large pot over low heat with the fennel and onion. Add the cream, just enough water to cover all, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
• Meanwhile, rinse and de-beard the mussels. In a separate large saucepan over medium low heat, sweat the garlic in the butter or margarine for 30 seconds. Add the cleaned mussels and the wine, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the mussels and reserve the liquid. (Note: Be careful not to brown the garlic.)
• Transfer the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the lemon juice, reserved mussel liquid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer and top each serving with some mussels. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.