SHELLFISH MINESTRONE WITH BASIL PESTO

Shellfish Minestrone With Basil Pesto image

This 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).

Provided by David Tanis

Categories dinner, soups and stews, main course

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 main course servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

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 oil
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

Steps:

Make the basil pesto: Put basil, parsley and 2 chopped garlic cloves in 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.
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.
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.
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.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 464, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 32 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1332 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams