Chorizo and Clams, Portuguese Style

Name: Chorizo and Clams, Portuguese Style
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 yellow or white onion, quartered and thinly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 6 ounces Chorizo (page 24); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 small bay leaf, crumbled; 1/4 cup white wine; 1/2 cup water; 2 pounds clams, mussels, or a mixture, scrubbed and mussels debearded if needed

January 24, 2012

Portugal lies on the Iberian Peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and Spain, and many of its culinary inspirations pull from both those places. In the province of Alentejo in southern Portugal, a combination of pork and clams expresses the inherent poetry of this duality. Ruddy with paprika, fragrant with garlic, and redolent of salt air, it is an exotic, compelling dish in which land meets sea in a bowl. The Portuguese are so fond of it that it is exported with them anywhere they settle, including New Bedford, Massachusetts, where it is served with corn on the cob. The dish is traditionally made with pork meat, cubed, spiced, and marinated overnight. I have simplified the recipe by using chorizo for the pork. It provides the same spiciness and color while eliminating a lengthy step.

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