Recipe for cooking steamed clams with sausage

Recipes from Spain and Portugal :: Spanish and Portuguese Main Dish Seafood

This is a dish which has been around for centuries in Portugal.

2 lbs. very small clams, about 1 1/2 in.
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-in. pieces
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. olive or canola (or other vegetable) oil
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. chopped fully-cooked smoked ham
1 (5 ounce) pkg. unsliced pepperoni, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes (with liquid)
2 bay leaves

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 c. vinegar to each gallon water has been added. Let clams soak for 20 to 1/2 an hour, 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 med. heat until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients; break up tomatoes with fork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.

Simmer uncovered or without a lid 15 mins.

Add clams to vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 20 mins. without lifting the cover or stirring. Remove bay leaves and any unopened clams. Serve with French bread if desired.

Makes 4 servings.