Rustic Minestrone Goes Aquatic for a Light Summer Meal Shellfish minestrone with basil pesto. 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 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, you don't need a recipe. Your fishmonger will likely be happy to give you fish bones for free. The ideal are somewhat meaty bones from any white-fleshed fish, and you only need 2 pounds. After rinsing them well in cool water, put them in 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. 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 add the final quick-cooking elements just before serving. O.K., soup's ready: check. Wine and bread: check. A swirl of brilliant green, garlicky pesto in each bowl, and we're off.