Colombo of Black Mussels with Leeks
Colombo is a Caribbean curry powder. For this dish, vegetables are simmered in a developing broth flavored with curry, fennel seed, and coriander seed with a generous base of wine. This delicious stock is strained, then used with butter to warm the mussels. Other shellfish would also be wonderful with this vegetable broth.
Ingredients
- Vegetable Nage
- Leek - 1 small, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- Celery - 1 stalk, thinly sliced
- Carrot - 1, small, thinly sliced
- White Onion - 1/2, thinly sliced
- Fennel bulb - 1/2, thinly sliced
- Ginger Root - 2 tablespoons, sliced, fresh
- Fresh herb sprigs - (2 each): thyme, rosemary, basil, Italian parsley
- Bay Leaves - 2
- Star Anise - 2 whole
- Cloves - 2 whole
- Colombo* or Madras curry powder - 2 teaspoons
- Fennel Seed - 1/2 teaspoon
- Black peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon
- Coriander seed - 1/2 teaspoon
- Pinch of salt
- Dry white wine - 2 cups (alt. vermouth)
- Water - 2 cups
- Mussels
- Shallots - 2, chopped
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons
- Dry white wine - 1 cup (alt. vermouth)
- Black Mussels - 36, large, fresh
- Colombo* or Madras curry powder - 2 teaspoons
- Garnish
- Leek - 20 slices, poached
- Swiss chard leaves - 8 large, steamed
- Tomato - 1, diced
- Garlic Croutons - 4 large
Instructions
For the vegetable nage: Combine all ingredients in a 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
For the mussels: Saute one of the shallots in 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan for 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover and simmer until mussels open, about 3 minutes. Pour mussels into a colander reserving mussel juice. Cool and remove mussels from their shells and set aside.
In the same saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Saute remaining shallot for 1 minute. Add curry powder; and saute for 1 minute. Add reserved mussel juice. Strain vegetable nage, pressing on solids to extract all juices. Discard vegetables. Add juices to saute pan. Simmer gently 15 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and reserved mussels. Heat just until butter melts and mussels are hot.
To serve: Arrange 5 slices poached leek star fashion in bottom each of four shallow bowls. Arrange chard in center of leeks. Spoon mussels and sauce over chard and leeks. Garnish with tomato, garlic croutons and chervil sprigs.
