International Recipes
Steamed Clams with Sausage
(Ameijoas na Cataplana)
This is a dish which has been around for centuries in Portugal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds very small clams, about 1 1/2 inches
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chopped fully-cooked smoked ham
- 1 (5 ounce) package unsliced pepperoni, chopped
- 1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes (with liquid)
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Clean clams by scrubbing them thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold running
water. Place scrubbed clams in a large pot of cold water to which 2/3 cup vinegar
to each gallon water has been added. Let clams soak for 20 to 30 minutes, then change
the water.
- Add a handful of cornmeal to the soaking water to purge the clams even more effectively.
Discard any clams that have open, cracked or broken shells.
- Cook and stir onion, garlic, pepper, paprika and crushed red pepper in oil in
Dutch oven over medium heat until onion is tender.
- Stir in remaining ingredients;
break up tomatoes with fork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
- Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
- Add clams to vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 20 minutes without lifting the
cover or stirring. Remove bay leaves and any unopened clams.
- Serve with French bread if desired.
Makes 4 servings