Clams Portuguese Style Recipe

Serves/Makes: 8

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 pounds (2 kg) clams (ameijoas)
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 7 ounces (200 g) bacon, in little strips
• 1 small Portuguese sausage (chourico), chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 ounces (90 g) butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and paprika
• 1 bay leaf

How to cook Clams Portuguese Style:

• Let the clams rest in clear water for a while, allowing them to release any sand.
• Place them in the lower half of the cataplana and cover them with all the other ingredients listed above.
• Seal down the top of the cataplana, set it on a moderate flame and cook for 20 minutes.
• Uncover the cataplana and serve the clams at once.

Note:
The Portuguese name of this recipe is Ameijoas na Cataplana.

Comments:
The Portuguese name of this recipe is Ameijoas na Cataplana. The delicious little dams known as ameijoas are a feature of almost every menu in Portugal, and are also used liberally to garnish other seafood dishes. The special utensil used for cooking them, the cataplana, may be of copper or aluminum. What is important is the tight seal effected by the clasps. Here is a recipe which shows how to use the cataplana.

This recipe for Clams Portuguese Style serves/makes: 8

Main Ingredient: Clams
Preparation Method: Pan Fried/Sauteed
Cuisine: Portuguese