Spanish clams with chorizo

Almejas con chorizo is the Spanish surf-and-turf logic at its finest: sweet, briny clams steamed open in a broth that smoky chorizo has already colonized with its paprika-red oils. Two loud ingredients, one very persuasive skillet.

The chorizo does double duty — its rendered fat becomes the cooking medium, its spice becomes the seasoning — so the ingredient list stays short and the flavor list does not.

Serve it straight from the pan as tapas or a light main, with an Albariño in the glass and enough bread to do justice to the broth, which is frankly the point of the exercise.

Almejas con Chorizo Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes purging) · Cook time: 15 minutes · Total: about 55 minutes · Servings: 3 · Calories: ~201 per serving

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh clams, cleaned and scrubbed
• 4 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced into thin half-moons
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (pimentón)
• ½ cup dry white wine (Albariño or Sauvignon Blanc)
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken or fish stock
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Scrub the clams and soak them in salted water 20 to 30 minutes to purge sand. Discard any that stay open when tapped.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the chorizo, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until it renders its oils and browns lightly.
3. Add the garlic, shallot and pimentón, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes — do not let the garlic burn.
4. Pour in the wine and stock, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the clams, cover, and steam 5 to 7 minutes, until they open. Discard any that refuse.
6. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice; taste before salting — chorizo and clams usually bring enough.
7. Serve immediately with the broth ladled over and bread on standby.

Recipe Notes

• Spanish cured chorizo (not fresh Mexican chorizo) is the right tool here.
• White beans stirred in with the stock turn it into a full meal.
• The bread-to-broth ratio is a personal journey; err generous.