Mussel Bisque Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 3 cups dry white wine
• 3 pounds mussels, preferably small ones, scrubbed and debearded if necessary
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 medium-size onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 leeks, well rinsed, trimmed, and minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or grated on a Microplane
• 3 small vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1-1/2 cups light cream or half-and-half
• 3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 3 tablespoons finely slivered fresh basil