Billi Bi

• 1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, divided
• 1 1/4 cups sliced shallots, divided (from 2 shallots)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, divided (from 3 garlic cloves)
• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 (750-mL) bottles dry white wine
• 4 bay leaves, divided
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
• 2 cups sliced leek (white part only) (from 1 large leek)
• 1 1/4 cups diced celery (from 3 stalks)
• 1 1/4 cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
• 1 1/4 cups diced carrots (from 2 large carrots)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 1 qt. half-and-half
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon Espelette pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large pot over medium. Add 1/2 cup of the shallots and 1/2 tablespoon of the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mussels, wine, 2 of the bay leaves, and 1 of the thyme sprigs; cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until mussels open, about 8 minutes. Pour through a colander into a large bowl, reserving solids and cooking liquid. Discard any unopened mussels. Cool mussels about 10 minutes.
2. Cook leek, celery, onion, carrots, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and remaining 2 bay leaves, 1 thyme sprig, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup shallots, and 1/2 tablespoon garlic in a large pot over medium, stirring occasionally until tender, about 12 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid; increase heat to medium-high, and cook until reduced to about 8 cups, about 15 minutes. Stir in half-and-half, and bring to a simmer.
3. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of warm soup to yolks, whisking constantly. Slowly stream yolk mixture into soup, stirring with a whisk. Stir in Espelette, cayenne, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
4. Divide mussels among 12 bowls, and ladle hot soup into each.

butter, shallots, garlic, mussels, bottles, bay leaves, thyme, only, celery, yellow onion, carrots, salt, egg yolks, espelette pepper, cayenne pepper

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/billi-bi (may not work)