Mussel and Fennel Bisque

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaves 
• 1 tablespoon brandy 
• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 0.3 cup carrots peeled
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme dried
• 1 cup wine dry white
• 2.5 cups fennel bulb fresh divided chopped for garnish
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 4 cups chicken broth ()
• 2 pounds mussels scrubbed
• 0.3 cup rice long-grain
• 0.5 cup shallots chopped ( 2 large)
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• pot
• blender
• measuring cup
• tongs

Directions

1. Combine mussels and wine in large pot.Cover; bring to boil. Boil until musselsopen, about 5 minutes (discard any that donot open). Using tongs, transfer to largebowl.
2. Pour cooking liquid through strainerset over 8-cup measuring cup.
3. Add enoughclam juice to cooking liquid to measure 5cups.
4. Remove mussels from shells; place insmall bowl. Discard shells. Cover musselsand chill until ready to use, up to 8 hours.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in largesaucepan over medium heat.
5. Add 1 1/2 cupsfennel cubes and carrot; sauté until fennelis slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
6. Addshallots; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes.
7. Add clam juice mixture, rice, tomatopaste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to boil.Reduce heat to medium-low; partially coverand simmer until rice is tender, stirringoccasionally, about 25 minutes. Discardbay leaf. Cool slightly. Working in batches,puree in blender. Return to saucepan.
8. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butterin small nonstick skillet over medium heat.
9. Add 1 cup fennel cubes; sauté until crisptender,about 7 minutes. Season with saltand pepper.
10. Remove from heat. do ahead
11. Bisque mixture and sautéed fennel can bemade 8 hours ahead. Cool slightly. Chillbisque mixture uncovered until cold, thencover and keep chilled. Cover and chillfennel. Bring bisque mixture to simmerbefore continuing.
12. Add whipping cream, brandy, andmussels to bisque mixture; bring to simmer.Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladlebisque into 6 bowls.
13. Sprinkle sautéed fennelcubes atop bisque.
14. Garnish with choppedfennel fronds and parsley, if desired.
15. Try a crisp white winewith the bisque. We like the very affordable
16. Snoqualmie 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($
17. from
18. Washington State.