May 25
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Leeks & Potatoes Puree with Steamed Cider Mussels
What a pompous title for a simple and delicious recipe, don’t you think? Today’s special dressing will be: I want muscles ♫. Playing around with the words :D
Yesterday, while reading my favourite newspaper La Vanguardia, I found this article in its magazine: Calorias a la vista – Calories in sight. It talks about a new law that it’s about to force Restaurant chains in New York, with more than 15 branches, to show in their menus the quantity of calories each dish has. This law pretends to open people’s eyes to this huge problem: Obesity.
The controversy is served… Is this law going to have side effects? Is it really going to help obess people? Is it going to create an obsession for calories control? What do you think?
Ben from What’s cooking? and Ivy from Kopiaste are organizing an event called Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets to show the world how we can eat healthy when following a diet. If you want to join, there’s plenty of time, go to their blogs and check for the instructions. Who’s not following a diet now that summer is getting so near?
I’m kind of following one myself, but with all spring and summer new products and my huge hunger (imagine myself with the 3 piglets’ wolfe’s face) and my uncontrolled thirst for fresh beers and good wines, my Foodie Weight Crusade is stuck at 63,3 Kilos…. Oooooppppss :(. Anyway, I do eat healthy and here you have a sample of a light and gorgeous dish.
The total amount of calories you will get with this dish is of 200 cal. aprox.
With regard to its nutritional composition, it contains good quality proteins and very little fat-less than 2 per cent-so its caloric value is not very high, 100 grams of edible portion of mussels provide 67 calories.
Iodine is the most prominent mineral content in mussels, but also includes the presence of iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus. The iron-containing -4.5 grams per 100 grams of mussel meat-even exceeds that of many meats such as pork or beef, although we must have in mind that mussels are eaten in smaller quantities and less frequently. They are also a good source of B vitamins, particularly folic acid and vitamin E.
I’ll be cooking more recipes with mussels during this spring and summer. Our Mediterranean mussels’ season starts in May and ends in September.
Ingredients for 4 servings: 1 kg. of fresh mussels, 750 grs of leeks, 500 grs of potatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 100 ml of cider, 1 spring of thyme, 1 bay leaf, a bit of saffron, 1 liter of water, 4 olive oil table spoons and salt.
- Clean the leeks and keep the white part only. Draw a cross with a knife in the upper part of their leaves to ease their cleaning. Chop in small pieces. Reserve.
- Peel cut and wash the potatoes and the garlics. Reserve.
- Pour the olive oil in a casserole and add the garlics. Golden them at medium heat and add the leeks and some salt (just a bit because the mussels’ water that we will add later is very salty).
- Stir for 1 minute and pour the water in. When it starts boiling, low the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile clean the mussels under tap water and take away all the things adhered to their shells.
- Place a pot on the heat and add the cider, the thyme and the bay leaf, bring to boil and add the cleaned mussels. Cover the pot and steam the mussels. When they are all opened, turn heat off and reserve.
- With the help of a food processor mix the leeks and potatoes until you get a thick puree.
- Strain the mussels and keep that juice.
- Add 200 ml of the mussels juice to the puree and mix again. Taste and if you still want it to be stronger add a bit more.
- Serve with some mussels on top and a bit of saffron too.
Have the rest of the mussels inside a bowl and serve aside or take their shells away and add them in the puree. Enjoy the dish! It’s an easy, cheap, healthy and low calorie meal! Can’t ask for more!!!
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Comments
Si chica! Muy healthy. Potato and leek soup is beautiful in its own right but the added mussels are even better. All that extra protein! Nice recipe Nuria.
I adore mussels! In the summer I just like to eat lots of shell fish (if I can affors it). Lovely soup.
Nuria my dear…this looks elegant rather than rustic and you know I love mussels….nice touch with the saffron threads.
And now, I dedicate this song to you, my dear Chicka…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2sun973nfY
Glad you like it dear Peter!
Hey Courtney! Mussels are really cheap here… move over :D!!!!!
Ai, ai ai, Peter… Don’t know what to do with you!!! First I thought you would sing me something… Wouldn’t that be thrilling? ;-) and you’ve sent me the Chiki Chiki instead!!!!! I hate this song… it’s horrible… I feel so ashamed Spain presented it… I know it’s all a joke… but still… I want to hide. Didn’t see the Eurovision program, did you? How was Greece’s song? I bet it was much better than ours :D
Nuria, I think Spain allowed this to be it’s entry on purpose…to highlight what a joke Eurovisio is.
Get used to Chiki Chiki…you’ll hear it alot this summer…PERREA! PERREA! LOL
I’d have to say that potato and leek soup is my absolute favourite..add the mussels and it is over the top. A little wine served to me by some gorgeous Spanish waiter on the coastal region of Spain and I am there:D
This looks gorgeous, and I would echo Val on it including many of my favorite things. YUM!
Peter, the thing is that now everything gets chosen by Sms on mobile phones and all young and crazy people choose this horrible thing!!!!! I must be really old because I still like nice and melodic songs and eventhough the contest is full of politics behind the songs, I hate this song and this guy. But seeing that you like it so much… maybe I should send you his pink guitar ;-)
It’s a pity we got here… in my opinion :D
He, he, Val :D. You can be sure that if I get to see a gorgeous Spainsh waiter I’ll whistle hard so that you come over in no time!!!
I love the presentation and food styling.
salut Nuria!! your photos are becoming vraiment chouette! line Perspective and contrast are my absolute most favorite tools in food photography. bravo! c’est encroyable!
Nuria, your soup is absolutely delicious and thanks for all the nutritional information given. I would love to see all the calories each dish has, that way I think we would eat less.
Nuria, what an elegant dish you’ve got here! I love your presentation!
Just seeing these mussels makes me wanna live where you live :)
He, he, so happy you like it Jen. Mussels are so flavourful and easy to cook :D
Thanks a lot Cynthia :D I’m trying to improve my photo skills… if that is possible :D
You are so sweet Mallory… thanks a lot darling :D. KNow what? My camera just broke, the LCD screen is completely white Aaaawwwwgggg. These pictures were taken with the old one. Should I buy a wonderful, shinny, powerful, amazing, supernew camera? Any recomendations?
My pleasure Ivy! Hope the event has a great success :D
Thanks a lot Lore! I think this is one of the best places on earth to live at :D But, what else could I say?
That looks so pretty!! And sounds so good!! :D
This looks beautiful! I like to give fancy names to my dishes. :)
I should try out the event, because I always watch my weight. I like to stay lean, but it’s hard when there are so many wonderful foods to try!
What a great looking soup Nuria! I love all of the information that you gave with it!
Thank you Ley!!!!
I love the name you give to your dishes, Heather!!! Yes, try it… the more the merrier :D
Hola Judy:D Thank you, hope that is useful!
This looks great Nuria! I truly believe that healthy food is some of the most delicious – so I rarely feel deprived! This is a great example!
wow – fantastic presentation! :D
So, let’s eat healthy, Jenn!!! :D I love it when healthy is a sinonim of delicious ;-)
Thanks so much Maninas :D And welcome to Spanish Recipes!
Beautiful, beautiful and I’ll add a gorgeous onto that. The content is wonderful, the presentation is spectacular. You’ve outdone yourself Nuria – I just love it.
Diós Mío de mi alma!!! A que hora debo estar en tu casa pa’comer? This soup looks soooo delicious, Núria!!! I don’t use leeks as often as I should—they give such great flavor!
Wow Giz, you’ll make me blush, girl!!! He, he, I love that you enjoy it too :D.
Anytime is fine with me Canarygirl :D. Just buy the ticket plane ;-).
Yes, leeks give a wonderful flavour! Me encanta tu castellano y además utilizas esas expresiones… el próximo video en castellano, please ;-)
I’m a newly discovered mussel lover, so this looks delicious! Those are large mussels too.
Beautiful pictures & blog. I’m hooked and will definitely be back.
htat is so gorgeous. must have tasted splendid too.
Hi Hillary! Welcome to Spanish Recipes :D
More mussels’ recipes to come!
Thanks so much Julie! Welcome to my blog… so nice you enjoy it :D
It sure did Bee :D. Want a sample? or a tapa?