- 50g/1¾oz butter
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 250ml/9fl oz white wine
- 500g/1lb 2oz mussels (rinsed, de-bearded, discard any mussels that do not close tightly when tapped)
- 500g/1lb 2oz pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock
- 125ml/4½fl oz double cream
- 2 star anise
- small pinch saffron
- 1 lime, juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp red-veined sorrel cress or chopped fresh herbs, to garnish (optional)
- Heat half of the butter in a lidded casserole over a medium to high heat. When the butter is foaming, add half of the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Pour in half of the wine and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover the casserole with the lid, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
- Strain the mussels through a colander suspended over a clean saucepan. Collect the cooking liquid in the pan. Set aside to cool.
- Add the remaining butter to the casserole. Fry the remaining onion for 2-3 minutes, or until softened, then add the add the pumpkin and fry for a few more minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, the remaining wine, the stock and the reserved cooking juices (except for any gritty residue at the bottom of the pan). Add two-thirds of the cream, the star anise and the saffron and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.
- While the soup cooks, pick the meat from the mussels. Discard the shells and any mussels that haven’t opened.
- When the pumpkin is tender, remove the soup from the heat and discard the star anise. Add two-thirds of the mussel meat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
- Blend the soup, in batches, in a food processor, to a fine purée. Warm through in a clean saucepan if necessary. Season, to taste, with the lime juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve the soup in bowls, scattered with the remaining mussels and garnished with a swirl of the remaining cream and a little cress, if using.