AI-generated image
Carne de porco à alentejana
Carne de porco à alentejana: pork and clams with fried potatoes and coriander
Despite the name, this surf-and-turf dish of pork and clams is most often linked with the Algarve coast, where Alentejo pork met local shellfish; today it is served in tascas all over Portugal, especially for Sunday lunch. It is a pork dish: cubes of pork shoulder marinate in massa de pimentão (sweet red pepper paste), garlic and traditionally white wine, then are fried and tossed with steamed clams, crisp potato cubes, pickles and lots of coriander. For an alcohol-free version, swap the wine for chicken stock with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Chef's tip: buy the pork with a little fat on; lean loin turns dry and tough when fried.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
For the clams
For the potatoes and pan
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ¾ lb boneless pork shoulder with 2 tbsp red pepper paste (massa de pimentão), 4 cloves garlic, ¾ cup dry white wine, 2 bay leaves and ½ tsp black pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Wash your hands and board after handling raw pork.
10 minStep 2: An hour before cooking, put 1 ⅔ lb live clams in cold water with 2 tbsp salt for purging in the fridge to purge. Lift them out and tap any open ones; throw away any that stay open or have cracked shells.
60 minStep 3: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil for frying to 350°F and fry 1 ½ lb potatoes in batches for 6–8 minutes until golden and tender inside. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven. Never leave the hot oil unattended.
20 minStep 4: Lift the pork from the marinade and pat dry, keeping the marinade. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over a high heat and brown the pork in two batches for 5–6 minutes, until well coloured. A common mistake is crowding the pan: the meat stews grey instead of browning.
12 minStep 5: Return all the pork, pour in the marinade and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid reduces by half and the pork reaches 160°F (160 °F) inside, with no pink juices.
10 minStep 6: Add the clams, cover tightly and cook over a high heat for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan, until they open. Discard any clams that stay shut and the bay leaves.
6 minStep 7: Fold in the potatoes, 4 tbsp mixed pickled vegetables (pickles) and most of the 1 large handful fresh coriander. Scatter with the rest and serve hot with 1 lemon.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does carne de porco à alentejana take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Anhui bamboo shoots with ham
When the spring bamboo shoots push up through the hillsides of Huizhou, farmhouse kitchens braise them with chunks of the region's cured ham. The salty, deep-flavoured ham seasons the broth, and the shoots soak it up while keeping their crunch and gentle sweetness. Serve it as a side dish with rice and other plates, or as a light lunch by itself. Fresh bamboo shoots must be peeled and boiled before use, because raw shoots contain natural toxins; canned shoots are already cooked and only need rinsing. Chef's tip: taste the broth before adding any salt, as the ham often brings all the salt the dish needs.
Peking duck (home style)
Beijing's famous roast duck is a banquet showpiece, carved at the table in restaurants near Qianmen and eaten in thin wheat pancakes with sticks of cucumber, spring onion and a smear of sweet bean sauce. Restaurants use hanging ovens and inflate the skin with air; at home a scald with boiling water, a sweet vinegar glaze and a night uncovered in the fridge get you most of the way there. The prize is the lacquered, glass-crisp skin, with the meat underneath still juicy. Serve it as the centrepiece of a family feast, followed by a simple soup made from the carcass. Chef's tip: dry the duck uncovered on a rack in the fridge for at least 12 hours; a dry skin is the whole secret.
Beef and broccoli stir-fry
A quick coat of cornflour and soy keeps thin slices of beef silky, and a hot wok gives the broccoli char without overcooking it. Faster than ordering in.