Garlic & Coriander Clams with Believe By Jukes
or in Portuguese: Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato with Believe By Jukes
(serves four)
This is one of the easiest dishes in the world to cook, and yet every time I taste it, in a vast number of restaurants, as well as at home, it tastes slightly different! Each chef has their twist on how best to perfect this Portuguese national dish, and yet, I seem to love every version! This wonderful clam dish is stunning with our new creation, Believe By Jukes.
Ingredients
1 kg fresh Clams
3 Garlic cloves – very thinly sliced longways
1 Lemon – juice half and slice the other half into four wedges
1 bunch of Coriander – wash, discard the lower part of the stalks and coarsely chop the leaves
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A half-glass of dry white wine – preferably Vinho Verde (optional)
Warmed fresh Bread rolls
Method
First, dissolve a couple of spoonfuls of salt in a bowl of water and soak the clams. They will need about 15 minutes to spit out any sand and grit. And then repeat this technique one more time, and the water in the bowl ought to be clear. Rinse the clams in a colander, making sure the shells are clean.
Pour a few glugs of olive oil into a large saucepan, coating the bottom, then add the thinly sliced garlic. Cook the garlic for 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat. This should not colour the garlic, just braise it gently.
Now add the clams, half the chopped coriander, and a generous amount of cracked black pepper and a couple of pinches of salt. If you would like to add white wine, then do it now.
Toss the clams into the sizzling oil, raise the heat a bit, then cover the pan to steam them. The clams should start to open as they cook.
Remove the open shells after about 5 minutes and set them aside.
Continue to cook the rest of the clams, shaking the pan, for a further three or four minutes.
Remove all open clams and add them to the ‘good pile, while throwing out any closed shells.
Boil the remaining liquid in the pan and add the lemon juice.
Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining coriander leaves and another glug of olive oil, and reintroduce the clams to the liquor.
Divide the steaming clams between four bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread and wedges of lemon.
Enjoy,
Matthew Jukes