Equipment
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1000 g littleneck clams, scrubbed
Meat
- 150 g spanish cured chorizo, diced into 1cm cubes
Aromatics and Produce
- 100 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Liquids and Pantry
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 15 ml olive oil
- 35 g sea salt
- 200 g sourdough bread, thickly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1064 kcal
- Protein
- 94 g
- Carbohydrates
- 79 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 11492 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 197 mg
- Potassium
- 665 mg
- Calcium
- 255 mg
- Iron
- 10.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 128 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1144 mg
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 482 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 129 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 58.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.27 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.48 mg
- Niacin
- 6.2 mg
- Folate
- 50 mcg
- Water
- 558 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large bowl, dissolve the sea salt in 1 liter of cold tap water. Submerge the scrubbed clams in the salt water and let them sit for 20 minutes to purge any sand or grit. Carefully lift the clams out of the water to avoid disturbing the settled sand, then rinse them under cold running water.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Arrange the sourdough bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bright red paprika fat renders out and the edges of the meat become crispy, about 4 minutes.
Add the diced yellow onion to the pot with the chorizo. Stir to coat the onion in the rendered fat and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook, stirring continuously, until highly fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Pour the dry white wine into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a lively simmer and let it reduce slightly for 2 minutes.
Add the purged clams to the simmering broth. Immediately cover the pot tightly with a lid and let steam until the clam shells pop open wide, about 6 minutes. Give the pot a gentle shake halfway through. Discard any clams that remain firmly closed after cooking.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and the fresh lemon juice, tossing gently to coat the clams in the fragrant broth.
Ladle the hot clams and all of the smoky broth into wide, shallow bowls. Serve immediately alongside the toasted crusty sourdough bread for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- When purchasing clams, ensure they are alive. Tap any open clams lightly on the counter; if they do not slowly close their shells, discard them immediately as they are dead.
- Using a Spanish cured chorizo is absolutely essential here. Mexican chorizo is raw and will disintegrate into the broth, clouding the final texture rather than providing distinct, meaty bites.
- A crisp, highly acidic white wine like Albarino or Sauvignon Blanc works best to cut through the rich, paprika-laden pork fat. Avoid heavily oaked chardonnays.
- Do not add extra salt to the broth while cooking. Both the clams and the cured chorizo release a significant amount of natural salinity that perfectly seasons the final dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store leftover clams and broth in an airtight container. The bread should be stored separately at room temperature.
Reheating: Gently reheat the broth and clams in a covered pot over medium-low heat just until warmed through. Do not let the broth boil or the clams will overcook.
Troubleshooting
Broth is gritty and unpleasant to eat
Cause: Clams were not allowed to purge their sand fully, or were poured into the pot along with the sandy soaking water
Fix: Remove the clams and carefully decant the broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with a paper towel or coffee filter, leaving the sandy sediment behind. Return broth to the pot
Prevention: Ensure clams soak in properly salted cold water for a full 20 minutes, and always lift them out of the water rather than pouring the water over them
Clams are exceedingly chewy and rubbery
Cause: The clams were left over the heat for too long after opening
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Monitor closely after 4 minutes of steaming and remove the pot from heat the moment the shells pop open
Cultural Context
The pairing of local bivalves and cured pork is a cornerstone of Iberian coastal cooking. The smoky, sweet paprika from the chorizo beautifully complements the briny, delicate nature of the clams, creating a deeply savory profile that reflects the region's blended agricultural and maritime heritage.
