Seafood Minestrone
- Makes: 4 to 6 servings
- Start to Finish 1 hr
This seafood-filled main-dish soup is an elegant combination of herbs, vegetables, and vermicelli.
Ingredients
-
2
pounds
fresh small clams
-
1
pound
fresh mussels
-
12
quarts
water
-
1
cup
salt
-
1/2
cup
dry white wine
-
2
medium
onions, finely chopped (1 cup)
-
1
small
fennel bulb, finely chopped (1 cup)
-
1 1/4
cups
fish stock or bottled clam juice
-
1
Bouquet Garni (see recipe below)
-
1
medium
zucchini, finely chopped (1-1/4 cups)
-
2
medium
tomatoes, seeded, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
-
1
medium
red sweet pepper, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
-
2
ounces
fresh green beans, finely chopped (2/3 cup)
-
1
recipe
Pistou (see recipe below)
-
1/3
cup
broken dried vermicelli or spaghetti (1 ounce)
-
12
ounces
sea scallops, rinsed and thinly sliced, or bay scallops, rinsed
-
Salt
-
Freshly ground black pepper
-
Fresh basil (optional)
Directions
- Scrub the clams and mussels in cold running water. Remove beards from mussels. In a large kettle, combine 4 quarts of the water and 1/3 cup of the salt. Add clams and mussels and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly; drain. Repeat two more times, draining shellfish in a colander the third time. Rinse kettle and shellfish thoroughly.
- Place a rack for steaming in a kettle or Dutch oven; place clams and mussels on the rack. Pour wine over the shellfish. Bring to boiling. Cover and steam for 3 to 5 minutes or until shells open, and clams and mussels are cooked. Remove shellfish and rack from cooking liquid, reserving liquid. Discard any shellfish with unopened shells. Remove shellfish from shells. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, combine fish stock or bottled clam juice, onions, fennel, and Bouquet Garni. Strain the reserved shellfish cooking liquid into the pan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper, and green beans; cook for 5 minutes more or until the vegetables are just tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Pistou.
- Add vermicelli to vegetable-stock mixture. Cover and simmer for about 7 to 8 minutes or until vermicelli is tender, but still firm. Remove Bouquet Garni.
- Stir in scallops. Bring to simmering; reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until scallops are opaque and firm. Stir in the steamed clams and mussels and the Pistou; heat through. Season with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil, if you like. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Note
- Can't locate fresh mussels at the supermarket? Substitute extra clams.
Bouquet Garni
Ingredients
- 1
10 -
inch
square
double-layered 100 percent cloth cheesecloth
- 2
bay leaves
- 8
sprigs
parsley
- 12
lightly crushed whole black peppercorn
- 4 - 5
sprig
fresh thyme
- 4 - 5
sprig
fresh marjoram
Directions
- Cut a 10-inch square of double-layered 100 percent cotton cheesecloth. Place bay leaves, parsley, lightly crushed whole black peppercorns, thyme and marjoram on center of cheesecloth. Draw up four corners of square to create a bag and secure with clean kitchen string.
Pistou
Ingredients
- 1
cup
lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 3
tablespoons
butter, softened
- 1
clove
garlic
Directions
- In a blender container or food processor bowl, combine lightly packed fresh basil leaves; butter, softened; and garlic, halved. Cover and blend or process until mixture is nearly smooth, stopping as necessary and pushing mixture down sides of container.
Nutrition Facts
(Seafood Minestrone)
Servings Per Recipe 4, Fat, total (g) 14, carb. (g) 24, vit. C (mg) 50, sat. fat (g) 6, chol. (mg) 115, sodium (mg) 1423, pro. (g) 48, iron (mg) 12, cal. (kcal) 428, vit. A (RE) 495, calcium (mg) 273, fiber (g) 9