Billi Bi
Submitted by RosieCa7
Billi Bi, the classic French cream of mussel soup with white wine, shallots, heavy cream, egg yolk, and hollandaise. An elegant, velvety bisque served hot or chilled.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minBilli Bi is considered one of the finest soups in French cuisine, a rich, silky cream of mussel broth that’s been on fine-dining menus since it was created at Maxim’s in Paris. The mussels steam open in white wine with shallots, onions, and herbs, and that fragrant cooking liquid becomes the soup’s foundation.
Straining through a double layer of cheesecloth is essential. It catches every grain of sand and grit that the mussels release, leaving you with a broth that’s crystal clear and pure ocean flavor. Heavy cream and a beaten egg yolk enrich the strained broth into something luxuriously thick.
The most critical moment is after adding the egg yolk. Return the soup to heat just long enough to thicken slightly, but do not let it boil or the yolk will scramble and you’ll have bits of cooked egg floating in your elegant soup. A swirl of hollandaise at the end adds one final layer of richness.
Pro Tips
- Scrub the mussels thoroughly and discard any that are cracked or don’t close when tapped. Bad mussels will ruin the broth.
- Discard any mussels that don’t open after simmering. They were dead before cooking and aren’t safe to eat.
- Temper the egg yolk by whisking a small amount of hot broth into it first, then adding the mixture back to the pot. This prevents curdling.
Variations
- Serve chilled on a hot summer evening for an elegant cold soup course.
- Garnish with a few reserved mussel meats and fresh chervil leaves.
- Substitute creme fraiche for the hollandaise for a simpler but still rich finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Thoroughly scrub the mussels to remove all exterior sand and dirt.
Place them in a large kettle along with the shallots, onions, parsley, salt, black pepper, cayenne, wine, butter, bay leaf and thyme.
Cover.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer until the mussels have opened (5-10 minutes).
Discard any mussels that do not open.
Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth into a saucepan.
Remove the mussels from their shells.
Discard the shells.
Set the mussel meat aside. Bring the liquid in the saucepan to a boil.
Add the cream.
Return to a boil.
Immediately remove from the heat.
Add the beaten egg yolk.
Return to the heat only long enough for the soup to thicken slightly ~ DO NOT BOIL! Stir in the Hollandaise sauce and add the mussel meat just before serving.
Serve hot or cold.
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