Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato·(uh-may-zhoo-ush ah bool-yowng pah-too)
O Fiel Amigo: Accessible Bacalhau & Coastal Flavors
Fifteen minutes. That is the window between dropping a mesh bag of littlenecks on the counter and eating them. The smell of garlic and cilantro hitting hot olive oil means summer, and someone's making clams. The traditional method relies on a single strict rule: do not add Vinho Verde. Adding wine means you have to boil off the alcohol, and by the time you do, your delicate bivalves are rubber. Skip it. Let the natural briny juices emulsify with the oil as the shells pop, yielding a thick, cloudy sauce tasting sharply of brine. Slice the bread before you turn on the heat.
Before you start
Purge the clams in cold, salted water.
Place the clams in a large bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of salt for 30 minutes. This allows them to spit out any trapped sand. Drain and rinse them well under cold running water, discarding any with cracked shells or that refuse to close when tapped.
Ingredients
- Littleneck clams3 lb
- extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- garlic5 large clove
- fresh cilantro1 bunch
- lemon1/2 med
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- coarse sea salt2 tbsp
- crusty bread1 large loaf
Method
- 01
Build the aromatic base.
In a wide Dutch oven or large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and the finely chopped cilantro stems, letting them gently sizzle for a minute or two until fragrant but not browned.
- 02
Steam and agitate the clams.
Crank the heat to medium-high, add the purged clams in a single layer, and immediately cover the pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, grabbing the handles with an oven mitt and shaking the pot vigorously every minute to emulsify the olive oil with the salty clam juices.
- 03
Kill the heat immediately.
The second the majority of the shells pop open, get the pot off the stove. Do not let them linger on the heat, and discard any clams that stubbornly refuse to open.
- 04
Garnish and serve.
Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the clams, add a few grinds of black pepper, and toss in the roughly chopped cilantro leaves. Serve immediately in wide bowls with an embarrassing amount of crusty bread.
Notes
Fiercely ignore the urge to add wine.
While a splash of white wine seems fancy, the historical recipe relies entirely on clam liquor and olive oil. Adding alcohol forces a longer cooking time to boil off, which ruins the texture of the clams.
Littlenecks are your best bet.
While Portugal uses the local Venerupis decussata, the American Littleneck clam is the perfect size and sweetness for a quick steam. Avoid larger Quahogs or Cherrystone clams, which are too tough for this preparation.