Best Clams In A Cataplana Casa Velha Recipes

BABY CLAMS STEAMED IN A CATAPLANA WITH WHITE WINE AND TOMATO SAUCE: ALMEIJOAS NA CATAPLANA

Baby Clams Steamed in a Cataplana with White Wine and Tomato Sauce: Almeijoas Na Cataplana image

In Portugal, cataplana refers to the metal pan that looks like a large clam shell with a hinged lid that is clamped shut for steaming and braising. If you cannot obtain a cataplana pan, a wok with a lid or a large Dutch oven are fine substitutes.

Provided by Tyler Florence

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut in thin strips
1 green bell pepper cored, seeded, and cut in thin strips
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 medium white onions, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound dry-cured ham, such as presunto or prosciutto, diced
1 pound hard, smoked sausage, such as linguica or chorizo, removed from the casing
1 generous tablespoon paprika
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
4 pounds small littleneck clams or cockles, scrubbed and rinsed well
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Portuguese bread, as accompaniment

Steps:

Coat a large Dutch oven with the olive oil and set over medium heat. When the oil forms a little haze, add the bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic; cook and stir for about 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft, but not browned. Add the ham and sausage and stir for 2 minutes to release some of the flavorful fat. Stir in the paprika, pepper flakes, bay leaves, and wine. Simmer and stir for 10 minutes to cook down the liquid a bit. (If using a cataplana, transfer the sauce into the vessel, and proceed as directed.)
Lay the clams in the sauce and toss with a large spoon so they are well coated and some of the sauce is on the top. Squeeze in the lemon juice and shower with chopped parsley. Tightly close the Dutch oven or cataplana and simmer over moderate heat for 15 minutes until the clams open ¿ no peeking. Discard any clams that haven't opened at that point. Remove the cataplana from the stove and open it at the table. Ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately with crusty Portuguese bread.

CATAPLANA

Cataplana image

Provided by Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

4 pounds cockles (littleneck or other small clams may be substituted)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1 small zucchini, with skin
1 small yellow crookneck squash, with skin
1 hard, smoked linguica sausage (about 6 ounces), or prosciutto
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
2 or 3 cups fish stock or clam juice
3/4 cup white Port wine
Freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

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.

PORTUGUESE SEAFOOD CATAPLANA

Portuguese Seafood Cataplana image

Provided by Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 25m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce linguica sausage or fresh chorizo, removed from the casing
1 1/2 tablespoons sliced shallot, optional
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 pound fresh manila clams
1 1/2 ounces medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup crushed vine ripe tomatoes, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons white wine
Smoked paprika
Hawaiian sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps:

In a cataplana pan or shallow-sided pot with cover, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add the shallots, if using, and garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the clams, shrimp, tomatoes, wine and some paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and steam gently over medium to medium-low heat just until the clams open and the shrimp are pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
Taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with the remaining oil, chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve directly out of the pan.

CLAMS IN A CATAPLANA CASA VELHA

Clams in a Cataplana Casa Velha image

Provided by Jean Anderson

Categories Shellfish Meat Ham Sausage Seafood Clam Prosciutto

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

4 dozen uniformly small clams in the shell
2 gallons cold water
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons cornmeal
SAUCE:
3 medium Spanish onions, peeled and sliced thin
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 large sweet green peppers, cored, seeded, and cut in thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large bay leaf, crumbled
1 can (1 pound) water-pack tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 ounces lean prosciutto, cut into small dice
1/4 pound lean smoked ham, cut into small dice
1/4 pound chouriço, chorizo or pepperoni, cut into small dice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

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.