shellfish minestrone with basil pesto

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  tbd
servings:  4 - 6

pesto 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
pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

minestrone ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion - diced
1/2 cup diced carrot
salt
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 cannelloni beans
24 little neck clams - well rinsed
7 cups hot fish stock or chicken broth
1 pound squid - cut crosswise in 1/2-inch rings + tentacles
1 cup small green peas
1 cup blanched and peeled fava beans

pesto steps:
1.  put basil, parsley and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a blender.  season lightly with salt and pepper.  add 1/2 cup olive oil and puree on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary.  pour into a small serving bowl, cover tightly and set aside.

minestrone steps:
1.  put 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.  add onion, 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 leave and thyme and let sizzle, then add tomato and simmer a few minutes more.

2.  stir in cannelloni 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.  add fish stock and bring to a simmer.  taste broth and adjust seasoning.

3.  just before serving, add squid, peas and fava beans and simmer for 2 minutes.  ladle into shallow soup bowls and stir 2 teaspoons basil puree into each.

- new york times, june 2013

spicy moroccan stewed fish with couscous

prep time:  tbd
cook time: 18 minutes
servings:  2

ingredients:
1 cup quick-cook couscous
olive oil
2 lemons
salt
pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 fresh red chili
fresh basil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2  6-ounce white fish fillets - skin off and bones removed
3/4 pound large shrimp - raw and peeled
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 handfuls of fresh or frozen peas, fava beans, or green beans

steps:
1.  put the couscous into a bowl and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.  halve the lemons and squeeze in the juice from two of the halves.  add a pinch of salt and pepper.  pour in just enough boiling water to cover the couscous, then cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap.  let the couscous soak up the water for 10 minutes.

2.  get a large saucepan on a medium heat burner.  peel and finely slice your garlic.  finely slice your chili.  pick the basil leaves off the stalks.  put the smaller ones to one side and roughly chop the larger ones.  add a couple of lugs of olive oil to the hot pan.  add the garlic, chili, basil, cumin seeds, and  cinnamon. 

3.  give it all a stir and put the fish fillets on top.  scatter over the shrimp.  add the canned tomatoes and the peas and beans.  squeeze in the juice from the two remaining lemon halves.  put a lid on the pan.  bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.  taste, and season with salt and pepper.

4.  by the time the fish is cooked, the couscous should have sucked up all the water and be ready to serve.  spoon the couscous into a large serving bowl and give it a stir with a fork to help it fluff up.  top with the fish, vegetables, and juices from the pan, sprinkle with the reserved basil leaves.  serve.

- goop, april 2010