Portuguese Spiced Clams Playful Cooking

I love any kind of seafood and grew up eating a ton load of it. However, shellfish is something that I tried only after I moved to US. My very first experience was with garlic mussels and while I hesitated a little bit at first, it took just one bite to get me hooked! As much as I enjoy it, I very rarely make it at home. As I was browsing the seafood section yesterday in an Asian store while looking for inspiration, the little clams caught my attention and I went for it.

How to prepare Portuguese spiced clams ?

It’s an easy quick meal where the piri piri sauce shines though. The sauce is made easily by just add all the ingredients in a jar and giving it a mix. Once that is done, the clams are cooked in some garlic, onion, tomatoes, the piri piri sauce and chicken stock. The clam barely takes any time to cook and you shouldn’t cook for too long or t will taste like rubber.

How to buy and store clams for the Portuguese spiced clams?

Clams are sold and cooked live. They are usually kept in ice or water. Look for the ones with tightly shut shiny shells. If it’s slightly open, tap on the shell and if shuts immediately, it’s still alive. If you are not cooking the shells right away, put it in the bowl, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in the refrigerator.

How to clean clams?

Chances are that you will find clean clams, but just in case, place it on a colander and run under cold water. Then, gently scrub the shell to remove any sand or seaweed. If any shell opens, tap it slightly and if it doesn’t close immediately, discard it.

Vinho Verde Wine

With shellfish, I feel the broth is the key to the dish. I decided to go with a simple sauce made with Portuguese spices mainly because I had this gorgeous bottle of Vinho Verde (pronounced veeng-yo vaird) wine for pairing. Vinho Verde is not a grape variety - it is a wine region in the north of Portugal. Their wines are delicious, and very food friendly - there isn’t much that cannot be paired with Vinho Verde! This Portuguese Spiced clam dish is a natural choice to pair with such a versatile wine. The wine I received is a blend of Alvarinho, Trajadura, and Loureiro grapes, all of which are native to Portugal. The wines from the Vinho Verde region are bright, acidic, and can even be aged. If you’ve got a wine cellar in your basement or even just a growing wine collection, don’t be afraid to add Vinho Verde to your aging shelf. It’s a fine wine - it’ll just get better with age. But in the meantime, it’s the perfect wine to brighten up any fall food pairing.