Arroz de lingueirão is a soupy, tomato-scented rice made with razor clams, a coastal specialty of the Algarve and the beaches south of Lisbon. Razor clams (lingueirão in Portuguese) are prized for their sweet, slightly briny flavor, and the clam juices give the rice a depth that stock alone cannot match.
Like most Portuguese rice dishes, this one is meant to be wet, closer to a thick stew than a dry pilaf, and it is served straight from the pot with a generous scattering of fresh cilantro. If you enjoy our Portuguese seafood rice and octopus rice (both on the site), this belongs in the same family, built on a slow refogado of onion, garlic, and tomato (also on the site).
Atlantic razor clams are sold at many US fish markets, particularly in New England and the Pacific Northwest. If you cannot find them, littleneck clams make a good stand-in, and the instructions below cover both.
Arroz de Lingueirão Recipe
Ingredients
- For the clams:
- 1 1/2 pounds razor clams (or 2 pounds littleneck clams)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- For the rice:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (or 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain rice (Carolino, Arborio, or Bomba)
- 4 cups hot water or light seafood stock
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the clams in a bowl of cold, salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt per quart) for 30 minutes to purge sand, then rinse well. Discard any that stay open when tapped.
- In a wide pot, bring the white wine to a boil, add the clams, cover, and steam 2 to 4 minutes, until the shells open. Remove the clams, strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Pull razor clam meat from the shells and cut into 1-inch pieces; leave littlenecks in the shell.
- Wipe out the pot, add the olive oil, and cook the onion with the bay leaf over medium heat for 8 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until thickened and the oil begins to separate.
- Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the hot water or stock plus the reserved clam liquid (leave behind any sandy dregs). Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender but the dish is still saucy.
- Fold in the clams and half the cilantro, rest 2 minutes, then serve topped with the remaining cilantro and lemon wedges.
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