Mussel pot pie with a hint of vanilla

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb) blue mussels
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch of thyme
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) white wine
• 30 g (1 oz. or 2 Tbsp) butter
• 60 g (¼ cup) leeks, julienned
• 60 g (¼ cup) carrots, finely diced (brunoise)
• 60 g (¼ cup) celery, finely diced (brunoise)
• 60 g (¼ cup) onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste
• 1 l (4 cups) fish stock
• 2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 3 ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract
• 4 rounds of puff pastry
• 1 egg yolk

Preparation

For the mussels

• In a large covered pot, cook the mussels in white wine, garlic and herbs until they open. Take the mussels out of their shells.
• Strain the liquid and set aside.

For the soup

• Sweat (draw the moisture away from) the leek, carrot, celery and garlic in butter. Add the tomato paste. Continue cooking for a few minutes.
• Add the fish stock, mussel juice, saffron and tomatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vanilla. Let cool.
• Place the mussels in a soup bowl. Ladle in the cold soup.
• Brush the rim of the bowl with egg yolk and cap the bowl with the puff pastry. Brush the top with the remaining yolk.
• Bake in oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes. Serve.