The Mussels and Bean Soup is a typical dish from Abruzzo. The balance between the flavors of the land and the more delicate ones of the sea gives this dish an authentic taste. It’s excellent both hot and warm, enjoyed with garlic and parsley-scented croutons.
Also read
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 18 oz fresh borlotti beans
- 2.2 lbs mussels
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- A few sprigs parsley
- 2 potatoes
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes
- to taste fresh chili pepper
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Tools
This recipe contains affiliate links IconA
- Kitchen Scale
- Frying Pan
- Chopper
- Earthenware Pot
Steps
Wash the mussels under running water, scrape them and remove the beard. Place them in a pan with a clove of garlic, some celery leaves, and parsley, and let them open. Once cooled, shell them, keeping a few aside, and filter the liquid. Meanwhile, prepare a mixture with celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and sauté them with a drizzle of oil. Dice the potato, shell the beans, and add everything, continuing to sauté. Chop the cherry tomatoes into pieces and add them as well, letting the ingredients sauté for a few minutes. Pour the heated filtered mussel liquid and some boiling water (the liquid in the pot should be three fingers above the contents because the beans double in volume). Do not salt. Let it cook over low heat with a lid for about 1 hour.
Add the mussels, stir, and after 5 minutes turn off, check the seasoning and let it rest. Meanwhile, prepare the croutons by toasting the bread cubes in the oven and then letting them flavor in a pan with oil, garlic, and chopped parsley. Serve, placing some croutons, a few whole opened mussels as decoration, a bit of chopped parsley, a drizzle of oil, and if you like, some chili pepper!
Tips
Beans are very nutritious and rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E. They also contain minerals, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, fiber, and phosphorus. Like all legumes, they are rich in lecithin, which reduces cholesterol.
