Recipe: Cataplana (Portuguese Clams & Pork)

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, roughly diced
1 red or green pepper, roughly diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Bunch of parsley
Olive oil for frying
300g pork belly meat, cubed
750g–1kg live clams, washed and rinsed
250ml dry white wine
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp espelette pepper (optional)
Pinch of saffron
Pinch ground black pepper

Instructions:

Step 1: In your pan, brown the side of pork meat in vegetable oil, over a medium heat. because the meat takes on color add the cut onion, followed by the pepper, then garlic.

Step 2: flip the warmth to low, and cook for about forty minutes stirring sometimes, providing the vegetables to melt, and also the pork to cook completely. This low and slow preparation also will render the fat from the pork, and permit it to crispen a touch.

Step 3: Add the paprika, espelette pepper, saffron and black pepper and switch to confirm the spices equally cowl the meat and vegetables.

Step 4: flip the warmth up to high and add the wine. employing a spatula or spoon deglaze the pan, guaranteeing the spicy meaty goodness is dissolved into the liquid. Heat till the pan is effervescent, and a decent quantity of steam is being made.

Step 5: Add the clams and stir them through the mixture. shut the cataplana (or place lid on the pan) and cook over a high heat for five minutes. The wine can produce the required hot steam, to cook the clams. As they open they'll unleash their salty juices, and thus extra salt within the dish would be unneeded.

Step 6: put off the warmth, open the pan and make sure the clams have all opened, add cut parsley and stir through with a touch extra vegetable oil. It’s nice to serve the pan on to the table, permitting diners to assist themselves.