Cockles
in the Cataplana
Ingredients:
Serves
4
- 5
cls of olive oil ;
- 300
grs of fresh tomatoes ;
- 1,5
kg of cockles (amêijoas) ;
- 2
cloves of garlic ;
- 150
grs of onions ;
- 60
grs of cured ham (presunto) ;
- 100
grs of sausage (chouriço) ;
- 1
bay leaf ;
- 1
dl of white wine ;
- 1
bunch of parsley
- salt
to taste
- pepper
to taste
Preparation:
Wash
the cockles carefully in cold water. Cover them with
salt water or, in its absence, with water and salt a
few hours before cooking.
Peel the onions and chop them up in large pieces. Peel
the garlic and mince it.
Place a pan on the flame and pour the olive oil into
it. Add the garlic, onions, bay leaf and parsley. Fry
until brown.
Add the white wine and let the mixture thicken.
Meanwhile, cut the ham into small pieces and soak them
in cold water. Cut the sausage into half-moons. Take
the stems of the tomatoes, scald the latter in boiling
water and remove the skin and seeds. Dice the tomatoes
finely and add to the ingredients in the pan. Also add
the ham and sausage.
Stew for 5 to 10 minutes.
Take out the parsley and bay leaf. Remove the cockles
from the salt water and wash them again in cold water.
Place a cataplana on the flame and i it put a layer
of the contents of the pan. Place the cockles on top
of this layer and cover them with the remaining contents
of the pan.
Cover the cataplana and cook on a flame that is not
very high.
After 5 minutes, turn the cataplana over and leave in
on the stove for another 10 to 12 minutes so that the
cockles can open.
Hint:
Use large cockles. The cataplana should be opened only
in the presence of the eaters.
