Equipment
Ingredients
Mussels and Aromatics
- 1500 g mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 50 g shallot, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley, left on sprigs
- 2 g fresh thyme, sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
Liaison (Thickening Mixture)
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 2 egg yolks
Seasoning and Garnish
- cayenne pepper
- kosher salt
- white pepper
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 681 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1295 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 289 mg
- Potassium
- 1385 mg
- Calcium
- 172 mg
- Iron
- 15.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 145 mg
- Phosphorus
- 834 mg
- Zinc
- 6.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 543 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 37 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 45.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.65 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.98 mg
- Niacin
- 6.2 mg
- Folate
- 185 mcg
- Water
- 412 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove the beards. Discard any mussels that have cracked shells or refuse to close when sharply tapped.
In a large pot with a lid, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and cook until translucent but not browned, about 3 minutes.
Add the dry white wine, parsley sprigs, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and the cleaned mussels. Cover the pot tightly and increase the heat to high. Steam for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels have completely opened.
Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a clean pot. Strain the cooking liquid through the sieve to remove all aromatics and any sand released by the mussels.
Remove the mussel meats from their shells and set aside for garnish or another use. Discard the empty shells.
Bring the strained mussel broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat and allow it to reduce slightly, about 5 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, aggressively whisk together the heavy cream and egg yolks until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Gradually ladle about 120ml of the hot mussel broth into the cream and yolk mixture, whisking constantly. This tempers the yolks so they do not scramble.
Reduce the heat under the remaining broth to low. Slowly pour the tempered cream mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly. Heat gently until the soup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, reaching an internal temperature of 74 to 79 degrees Celsius (165 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit). Do not let it boil. Season with a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and white pepper to taste.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Divide the reserved mussel meats among the bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley.
Chef's Notes
- While traditionally served hot, Billi Bi is also exceptional when served thoroughly chilled. If serving cold, the flavors will mute slightly, so you may need to increase the seasoning.
- The liaison of egg yolks and heavy cream is a classic French technique that provides incredible mouthfeel without the need for flour or starch.
- Save any leftover mussel meat to toss through pasta the next day, or fold them into an omelette. They are incredibly versatile and fully cooked.
- Do not skip the cheesecloth step. Mussels are bottom-dwellers and naturally hold sand, which will easily ruin the silken texture of the final soup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat very gently to avoid splitting.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly until just warmed through. Do not boil.
Troubleshooting
The soup appears grainy or the eggs have scrambled.
Cause: The soup was brought to a boil after the egg yolks and cream were added.
Fix: A brief blitz with an immersion blender might smooth out a slight break, but heavily scrambled eggs cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Keep the heat low after adding the liaison and monitor the temperature closely, ensuring it never exceeds 80 degrees Celsius.
The soup tastes gritty.
Cause: Sand from the mussels was not completely filtered out.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once the soup is finished.
Prevention: Ensure the mussels are thoroughly scrubbed before cooking, and always strain the broth through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, leaving the last few tablespoons of sandy liquid in the pot.
Cultural Context
Billi Bi originated at the legendary Maxim's restaurant in Paris and was named in honor of William B. Leeds, a wealthy American tin magnate and loyal patron. The dish was later brought to prominence in the United States by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey through their seminal work in the New York Times, becoming a symbol of mid-century French-American haute cuisine.
