Ameijoas na Cataplana (Steamed Clams) 1 kilo clams (cockles or mussels can be used as a substitute) 30g. butter 1 tblspn olive oil 3 onions, sliced ½ tspn paprika 1 tblspn piri-piri 2 peeled chopped tomatoes 80g. chopped presunto or ham 80g. chouriço or garlic sausage A clove garlic crushed Handful parsley, crushed THE METHOD Wash the shellfish thoroughly and discard any which are even slightly open and will not shut when tapped as these are dead. Then scrub well to remove any dirt. Heat the butter and oil in the cataplana (or heavy casserole) over a moderate heat, then add onions, tomatoes and seasoning and cook until onions are soft. Add the shellfish, meat, garlic and parsley and cover the casserole Cook for about 20 minutes over a moderate heat . Open the cataplana at the dinner table and serve straight onto dishes or plates. Serves four. There are of course variations on this recipe, like adding white wine Experiment to find the taste that suits you best. This recipe is reproduced courtesy of Cataplanas.com Find more Cataplana recipes at www.cataplanas.com ;

Send us your tips and recipes