Xarém
(or Xerém)
Cockles, Pork and Maize Mash
Ingredients:
Serves
4
- 1
kg of cockles (amêijoas) ;
- 100
grs of bacon ;
- 100
grs of pork sausage (chouriço) ;
- 100
grs of cured ham (presunto) ;
- 200
grs of maize flour ;
- 1
dl of white wine ;
- salt
to taste ;
- pepper
to taste ;
- water
Preparation:
Wash
the cockles, which should preferentially be
of average size and caught in the sand rather
than in the mud, in a bowl of cold water in
order to rid them from the impurities they may
contain. Then cover the cockles with sea water
for about 4 to 5 hours. Should you not have
sea water available, use drinking water seasoned
with salt.
Cut the bacon and the ham into thin stripes.
Slice the pork sausage.
Fry the bacon, the ham and the pork sausage
in a frying-pan on a low flame.
Take the cockles out of the water. Cook the
cockles in a deep pan, covered with water, for
about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the liquid in which the cockles were cooked,
taking care to strain it through a fine colander.
Take out the edible part of the cockles. Place
it in another pan, add the liquid in which they
were cooked plus the wine and cook the mixture
letting it boil for a while.
Sift the flour with a sieve.
Take the pan of the flame and then add the flour
so that it doesn't become lumpy.
Place the pan on the flame once again and cook
the mixture, stirring from time to time. Add
the meat and serve hot.
source: Algarve
Tourist Region
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