Many years ago, in what seems like another life, I learned to cook this soup that has always been at the back of my mind. I have this vivid memory of a soup with a velvety richness and a balanced seafood presence. There was not a lot to the soup besides mussels with no shell, a little perfectly diced vegetables, and a toasted slice of baguette. 

I know the first time I prepared this soup was in culinary school, but I have no recollection of even which class it was. Logically it might have been banquet cooking where we prepared multi- course classic fine dining for the students who were taking wines class. But I am not sure, as I believe the entire menu changed every day. 

This soup is a perfect reference to what I value in finer food and cooking. You take just a few ingredients of exceptional quality and let them come together in a dish greater than the sum of their already wonderful parts. At face value this is just a cream of mussels soup. But when you carefully steam the mussels in a good amount of white wine, a little bit of mirepoix (onion, carrot and celery), and a few herbs, you get a delicious broth. You then strain the broth, stir in a little cream, I like a pinch of saffron, and make sure the seasoning is correct. 

Once the seasoning is correct you carefully stir in a lightly beaten egg yolk which gives the soup a subtle richness and better mouthfeel. Then top the soup with several of the mussels without their shells and a large slice of baguette. It really is a lovely soup.

This style of soup, unique in one way by adding the egg yolk, is called a liaison. This is a reference to the method of tempering the hot soup into the egg yolk, so it is smooth, and the egg does not curdle. I decided to put this soup on the Bistro Verde menu at Lincoln Land Community College because I wanted to show the students how to make a liaison soup, and I hadn’t made it in years. Interestingly, as I was talking to others about the soup, nobody had ever heard of it. 

The soup comes from Maxim’s restaurant in Paris. Chef Louis Barthe was originally from Normandy, where versions of mussels cream soup have been around for hundreds of years and  readily available. 

The name Billy Bi comes from a frequent patron of the restaurant, William B. Leeds, Sr., and this was his favorite dish on the menu. The name is either pronounced Billy Bee, in direct reference to his name, or Billy Bye as all his friends were always saying goodbye to him and his son, William B. Leeds, Jr., as they were always traveling around the world.   

Billy Bi

Soup

• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 onion, rough chop
• 1 celery rib, rough chop
• 1 carrot, rough chop
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of cayenne
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 cup water
• 3 pounds mussels
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Pinch of saffron

Finish

• 4 egg yolks
• Chives, sliced thin
• Mussels, meat only
• 1/2 cup mirepoix, ½ onion, ¼ carrot, ¼ celery stalk, small diced and sauteed
• Chives
• Slice of baguette toasted

Directions

1. Rinse and clean the mussels.
2. Add the herbs, vegetables, garlic, water and white wine to a pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the cleaned mussels and cover immediately. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
4. Remove the lid and let cool to room temperature.
5. Take the meat out of the mussels and discard the shells. Reserve the meat.
6. Pour the liquid through a fine strainer and discard the herbs and vegetables.
7. Put the strained liquid back into a pot with the cayenne, heavy cream and saffron. Bring to a simmer and add salt and pepper as desired. 
8. Stir in the small diced and sauteed mirepoix.
9. Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a bowl large enough to hold all the soup.
10. Pour a third of the hot soup into the egg yolks while whisking. Make sure it is completely incorporated.
11. Add the rest of the soup in thirds, whisking while adding.
12. Pour the soup into bowls and top with the meat of the mussels and chives. The baguette can go on top or on the side. Enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.