Baby Clams Steamed In A Cataplana With White Wine And Tomato Sauce Almeijoas Na Cataplana Recipes

WHITE WINE-STEAMED CLAMS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium. Make the foil packets: Tear off twenty 20-inch-long pieces of heavy-duty foil. For each packet, stack 2 sheets of foil and pull up the edges to form a bowl shape; put about 10 clams in each packet.
• Divide the shallots, garlic and parsley among the packets. Drizzle each with about 3 tablespoons wine and top with 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Gather the edges of the foil at the top and crimp to seal.
• Place the packets on the grill and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until the clams open. (Discard any unopened clams.) Serve straight from the packet; garnish with thyme.

CATAPLANA

Steps:

• Wash cockles or clams under cold running water and scrub with a stiff brush. Place in a large bowl, cover with a wet towel, and reserve in the refrigerator.
• Core and seed peppers. Cut into fine julienne, about 2-inches long. Cut onion, zucchini, and yellow squash into similar julienne. Cut sausage or prosciutto into thin 2-inch lengths and finely julienne.
• Grease both halves of the interior of a cataplana, or large heavy Dutch-oven kettle, with butter. Put the clams in first, then the julienned vegetables, sausage, tomato, fish stock, Port, and pepper. Tightly close the two halves of the cataplana, using the pin and the clips on the outside to get a snug fit. Then place the closed dish over high heat for 10 minutes, or until the shells open. Just before the 10 minutes are up, open the cataplana, add the lemon juice and close it again for a minute or two.
• Remove the cataplana from the stove and open it at the table. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, ladle into soup bowls, and serve immediately.

CLAMS IN A CATAPLANA CASA VELHA

Steps:

• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Cook the onions, garlic, and green peppers in the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until limp and golden. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, and their juice. Break up any large clumps of tomatoes, bring mixture to a simmer, cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes; add the tomato sauce, prosciutto, smoked ham, and chourico; cover, and cook 30 minutes longer. The sauce can be made as much as 2 days ahead of time but do not buy the clams until the day you plan to serve the cataplana. The sauce should be covered and refrigerated until you are ready to proceed.
• To assemble the cataplana: Spoon 1/2 the tomato mixture into the bottom of a very large cataplana pot, and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Adjust the heat so that the mixture barely boils, arrange the clams on top, spoon in the remaining tomato sauce and wine, cover tightly, cook 10 minutes over moderately low heat, do not lift cover. Open the cataplana or kettle, scatter the parsley evenly on top, and then toss the clams lightly. If clams have not opened, cover and cook slowly for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until the clams open. Discard any that do not.
• Carry the cataplana or kettle to the table, take off lid, and ladle into large soup plates. Cook's note: Types of small clams to use are West Coast butter clams or small Littleneck clams. Also, be sure to put out a large bowl for empty clamshells.

CLAMS IN A CATAPLANA CASA VELHA

Steps:

• Scrub the clams well in cool water, pile in a large deep kettle, add the cold water, salt, and the cornmeal, which acts as an irritant that forces the clams to purge themselves of grit. Let the clams stand in the cold water about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Stir-fry the onions, garlic, and green peppers in the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat 8 to 10 minutes until limp and golden. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, and their juice. Break up any large clumps of tomatoes, bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook slowly for 30 minutes; add the tomato sauce, prosciutto, smoked ham, and pepperoni, re-cover, and cook 30 minutes longer. Note: You can make the sauce as much as two days ahead of time but do not buy the clams until the day you plan to serve the cataplana. The sauce should be covered and refrigerated until you are ready to proceed.
• To assemble the cataplana, spoon half the tomato mixture into the bottom of a very large cataplana (it should measure about 15 inches across) or into a large heavy Dutch-oven type of kettle, and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Adjust the heat so that the mixture barely boils, arrange the clams on top, spoon in the remaining tomato sauce, cover tight, and cook 10 minutes over moderately low heat - no peeking. Open the cataplana or kettle, pour in the wine, scatter the parsley evenly on top, then toss the clams lightly. Re-cover and cook slowly 15 to 20 minutes longer until the clams open - discard any that do not.
• Carry the cataplana or kettle to the table, open, and ladle into large soup plates. Serve with Pão or other rough country bread. Note: Be sure to put out a large bowl for empty clam shells.