Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 1 banana shallot
• finely chopped
• 150g/5oz courgettes
• trimmed
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 1 fennel bulb
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• leafy fronds reserved
• 150g/5oz carrots
• peeled
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 100g/3½oz celery stems
• trimmed
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 8 radishes
• trimmed
• cut in half from top to base
• 500g/1lb 2oz mussels
• rinsed
• scrubbed
• beards removed (discard any mussels that do not close tightly when firmly tapped)
• 150ml/5fl oz white wine
• 750ml/1¼ pints vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
• stalks reserved
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill fronds
• stalks reserved
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• stalks reserved
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley leaves
• stalks reserved
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh watercress leaves
• stalks reserved
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 large shallot
• roughly chopped
• 6 anchovies
• drained
• roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp capers
• drained and rinsed
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the soup
• melt the butter in a heavy-based
• lidded saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add all of the vegetables and fry gently for 4-5 minutes
• or until just softened.
• Add the mussels
• wine and stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Cover the pan with the lid and reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 2-3 minutes
• or until the mussels have opened. (Discard any mussels that do not open during cooking.)
• For the salsa verde
• put all the herbs in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the shallot
• anchovies
• capers
• lemon juice
• mustard and oil and blend to a rough purée. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the salsa verde.
• Serve immediately
• with an extra dollop of salsa verde on top of each portion. (Any remaining salsa verde can be decanted into an airtight container and covered with a thin layer of olive oil. It can be kept in the fridge for up to four days.)