A simple recipe from the Andalusian coast for traditional clams in white wine with garlic and parsley. We are also sharing tips how to clean clams and remove sand.
WHAT ARE ALMEJAS SALTEADAS?
Almejas salteadas, or pan-fried clams, are probably one of the most popular dishes of the southern Spanish coast. In the so-called "chiringuitos", fish restaurants on the beach, this quick dish served with some white bread are a real hit.
WHAT ARE THE VARIANTS OF THE RECIPE?
This recipe belongs to the very core of the Andalusian gastronomy, and you will fall in love with the simplicity. It's all about the quality of the ingredients. We use wine in our recipe, but there is also a wine-free option, where the sauce is made only from the water contained in the clams. In the Cádiz region, dry sherry is often used instead of wine.
HOW TO CLEAN CLAMS AND GET RID OF SAND?
Wash the clams under some cold running water. Discard clams that are open (that do not close when touched) and with damaged or broken shells. Prepare a large bowl, add some cold water and a spoonful of salt. Stir to dissolve the salt. Leave the clams in the water for one hour. Clams will release sand or other impurities. Carefully remove the clams with your hands so as not to stir up the dirt on the bottom of the bowl. Rinse again under cold running water in a colander.
AN INTERESTING FACT
Despite popular belief, in Spain before the Second World War, they were consumed only exceptionally and only in an absolute emergency. They were considered unworthy food, and therefore were often the food of the very poorest. Only later did they become a generally popular raw material, the price of which has recently reached paradoxically high prices.
RECIPE: ALMEJAS SALTEADAS - CLAMS WITH GARLIC AND PARSLEY
Preparation: 10 MINUTES
Cooking: 8 MINUTES
Serving: 2
INGREDIENTS:
1kg clams
bunch of parsley leaves - finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
30 ml of white wine
20 ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt
METHOD:
- Heat the oil in a pan that can fit the clams in a single layer.
- Add the chopped garlic and fry, stirring constantly, until light brown.
- Add the clams and white wine. Mix everything well and lightly salt (be careful the clams themselves are salty - just add a pinch to taste). Cover with a lid and let the clams to simmer for a while until they open.
- Once all the clams have opened, stir in the chopped parsley.
- Serve with some white bread ( great for dipping into the sauce).
Curiosity
One of the best known and most sought after clams are those of Carril, it is a type of slug clam or "chocha" that lives buried at a shallow depth and is usually extracted on foot with a rake or hoe or in small boats. Carril is a coastal parish belonging to the municipality of Villagarcia de Arosa in Galicia and has a contest dedicated to its clam, a festival that is celebrated every year at the end of August, "Fiesta da Ameixa", and since its first ever event in 1992, it is a complete success with the influx of public, offering a popular contest where the participants prepare various dishes made with the Carril clam.
