As the days begin to get hot and we lean toward lighter fare, may I suggest ... soup? Not a thick, rib-sticking lentil soup from last season, but a summer soup, and not a chilled one. A soup that is light, brothy and full of vegetables, a satisfying one-dish lunch or dinner.You may notice that it is quite similar to minestrone al pesto or soupe au pistou. But this rustic soup goes aquatic, adding shellfish (or bivalves and cephalopods if you want to quibble), which seem to go perfectly with beans, peas and basil (no nuts or cheese in the pesto, by the way).I have made fancier variations with shrimp, lobster, crab or scallops, but I find this simpler version just as good for a casual meal, maybe better. It's actually relatively inexpensive to make, too, and you'll be surprised how much flavor can be achieved with a pound of squid and a couple of dozen clams.
The other key flavoring ingredient is homemade fish stock, which is so ridiculously easy to make that you don't need a recipe. Your fishmonger will likely be happy to give you fish bones free.The ideal are somewhat meaty bones from any white-fleshed fish, and you need only 2 pounds. After rinsing them well in cool water, put them into a soup pot, cover with 8 cups of water and turn on the flame. Add, if you wish, a couple of scallions or a small sliced onion.That's it, except for leaving it alone for 30 minutes at just under a simmer while you have a cup of coffee. Pour the fish stock through a fine mesh strainer and you may proceed. Small effort, big difference.Not to neglect the vegetable aspects of the soup, though. Onion, celery and carrot are so much taken for granted, yet they are the foundation, flavor-wise, along with tomato and a touch of saffron. If fresh summer shelling beans are available at the market, definitely use those, but dried cannellini or even garbanzos are fine. Fresh sweet peas should be easy to get. And if you're up to the task of blanching and peeling fava beans (delegate, delegate), you'll need 2 or 3 pounds in the pod. Diced green and yellow zucchini is another option.Once your ingredients are gathered and prepped, all of which can be done ahead, putting together this minestrone is very straightforward, and it takes just a half-hour to cook. You can even prepare the entire soup ahead and then add the final quick-cooking elements just before serving.OK, soup's ready: check. Wine and bread: check. A swirl of brilliant green, garlicky pesto in each bowl, and we're off.SHELLFISH MINESTRONE WITH BASIL PESTOTime: 1 hour 15 minutesFor the pesto:2 ounces fresh basil leaves, a large fistful
1 ounce Italian parsley leaves and tender stems, a small handful
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oilFor the minestrone:2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
Salt and pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch saffron
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
Small bundle fresh thyme sprigs
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup cooked cannellini beans or fresh shell beans
24 littleneck clams, well rinsed
7 cups hot fish stock or chicken broth
1 pound squid, cut crosswise in 1/2-inch rings, plus tentacles
1 cup small green peas
1 cup blanched and peeled fava beans, optional
1. Make the basil pesto: Put basil, parsley and 2 chopped garlic cloves into a blender. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and purée on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary. Pour into a small serving bowl, cover tightly and set aside.2. Make the soup: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add red pepper, saffron, 8 cloves minced garlic, bay leaf and thyme and let sizzle, then add tomato and simmer a few minutes more.3. Stir in cannellini beans. Add clams, in one layer if possible, and 1 cup water. Turn heat to high and put on lid. Keep at a rapid simmer until all clams have opened, about 5 minutes. (If desired, remove clams, shuck them and return shucked clams to pot.) Add fish stock and bring to a simmer. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.4. Just before serving, add squid, peas and fava beans, if desired, and simmer for 2 minutes. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and stir 2 teaspoons basil purée into each.
Yield: 4 to 6 main-course servings© 2013 New York Times News Service
The other key flavoring ingredient is homemade fish stock, which is so ridiculously easy to make that you don't need a recipe. Your fishmonger will likely be happy to give you fish bones free.The ideal are somewhat meaty bones from any white-fleshed fish, and you need only 2 pounds. After rinsing them well in cool water, put them into a soup pot, cover with 8 cups of water and turn on the flame. Add, if you wish, a couple of scallions or a small sliced onion.That's it, except for leaving it alone for 30 minutes at just under a simmer while you have a cup of coffee. Pour the fish stock through a fine mesh strainer and you may proceed. Small effort, big difference.Not to neglect the vegetable aspects of the soup, though. Onion, celery and carrot are so much taken for granted, yet they are the foundation, flavor-wise, along with tomato and a touch of saffron. If fresh summer shelling beans are available at the market, definitely use those, but dried cannellini or even garbanzos are fine. Fresh sweet peas should be easy to get. And if you're up to the task of blanching and peeling fava beans (delegate, delegate), you'll need 2 or 3 pounds in the pod. Diced green and yellow zucchini is another option.Once your ingredients are gathered and prepped, all of which can be done ahead, putting together this minestrone is very straightforward, and it takes just a half-hour to cook. You can even prepare the entire soup ahead and then add the final quick-cooking elements just before serving.OK, soup's ready: check. Wine and bread: check. A swirl of brilliant green, garlicky pesto in each bowl, and we're off.SHELLFISH MINESTRONE WITH BASIL PESTOTime: 1 hour 15 minutesFor the pesto:2 ounces fresh basil leaves, a large fistful
1 ounce Italian parsley leaves and tender stems, a small handful
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oilFor the minestrone:2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
Salt and pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch saffron
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
Small bundle fresh thyme sprigs
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup cooked cannellini beans or fresh shell beans
24 littleneck clams, well rinsed
7 cups hot fish stock or chicken broth
1 pound squid, cut crosswise in 1/2-inch rings, plus tentacles
1 cup small green peas
1 cup blanched and peeled fava beans, optional
1. Make the basil pesto: Put basil, parsley and 2 chopped garlic cloves into a blender. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and purée on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary. Pour into a small serving bowl, cover tightly and set aside.2. Make the soup: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add red pepper, saffron, 8 cloves minced garlic, bay leaf and thyme and let sizzle, then add tomato and simmer a few minutes more.3. Stir in cannellini beans. Add clams, in one layer if possible, and 1 cup water. Turn heat to high and put on lid. Keep at a rapid simmer until all clams have opened, about 5 minutes. (If desired, remove clams, shuck them and return shucked clams to pot.) Add fish stock and bring to a simmer. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.4. Just before serving, add squid, peas and fava beans, if desired, and simmer for 2 minutes. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and stir 2 teaspoons basil purée into each.
Yield: 4 to 6 main-course servings© 2013 New York Times News Service
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