This comforting soup with mussels, beans, and potatoes fuses the flavors of the sea and the land for a dense, flavorful winter dish. It does require a little time and patience, and it tastes even better the next day.
Soaking the beans
You can choose the beans of your choice, though borlotti are the most popular. Soak them overnight and change the water several times the day-of.
Our recipe for mussel, potato, and bean soup
Ingredients
2 lb. mussels, cleaned
11 oz. potatoes
4 oz. borlotti beans, soaked
½ red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. flour
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Method
Add the mussels to a large pan containing enough water to cover them. Cook over low heat until the start to open. Once opened, shell most of the mussels and filter any sediment from the cooking water. Leave the shells on around 4 mussels per person to garnish the serving.
Boil the beans in water infused with 1 bay leaf. Drain and set the cooking liquid aside. Boil the potatoes with the skin still on. Once warm, peel and dice them into even cubes. In a saucepan, fry the finely chopped onion and garlic in a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Add 1 Tbsp. flour, the cooking liquid from the mussels, the liquid from the beans, and 1 tsp. tomato paste. Stir well. Add the mussels, beans, and potatoes, and cook until the desired density is reached. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.