The Algarve deserves more attention than it usually gets, and xerem de conquilhas is a good place to start: a dish that fishermen’s families along the Algarve coast have made for generations out of two things they always had on hand, coarse cornmeal and tiny clams called conquilhas.
Think of it as a distant, sandier cousin of a creamy polenta, cooked low and slow with a garlicky, paprika-tinted broth until it turns thick and almost porridge-like, then finished with clams that pop open right in the pot, releasing their brine straight into the cornmeal. It is coastal peasant cooking at its best, humble ingredients turned into something genuinely craveable.
If you love our Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato or Cataplana de Marisco (both recipes on the site), this belongs in the same rotation, just with a heartier, more filling base underneath the clams.
It feels indulgent but is built from pantry staples and a bag of clams from the fish counter. The cornmeal is arguably the best part, since it soaks up every bit of the briny, paprika-red broth.
Xerem de Conquilhas (Algarve Cornmeal with Clams) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small clams (conquilhas, or substitute Manila or littleneck clams)
- 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal (not fine polenta)
- 4 cups water or seafood stock, plus more as needed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold, salted water for at least 30 minutes to purge any sand, then drain and rinse.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and paprika and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the wine and bay leaf, simmer 2 minutes, then add the water or stock and bring to a gentle boil.
- Whisking constantly, pour in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and creamy, adding a splash more liquid if it gets too thick.
- Season the cornmeal with salt and pepper, then nestle the drained clams into the pot. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until the clams open. Discard any that do not open.
- Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve immediately in shallow bowls with lemon wedges.
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