Clams with Sausage & Tomatoes

This simple recipe is made with clams and sausages in a tasty tomato sauce. The recipe suggests using linguica or chourico sausages, however, I have used Italian sausages, and other types of sausages with equal success, but the flavor of the sausage does have a marked effect on the final flavor of the dish.

Serve the clams in shallow bowls, either spooned over wedges of boiled potatoes or accompanied by lots of coarse country bread.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes or 2 fresh chiles, finely minced
• 1 bay leaf, torn into pieces
• 1/4 lb presunto or prosciutto, diced
• 1/4 lb linguica, or chourico, casings removed and crumbled
  
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2-3 cups diced, canned tomatoes with juices
• 3 lb small clams, such as Manila, well scrubbed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• lemon wedges (optional)

Method

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
   
2. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes, if using, and saute until softened, about 3 minutes more.
3. Add the bay leaf, ham, sausage, wine, tomato, and the fresh chiles, if using.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the clams, hinge side down, discarding any that are open or broken.
   
6. Cover and cook until the clams open, 3-5 minutes.
7. Spoon the clams and juices into warmed bowls, discarding any clams that failed to open.
   
8. Sprinkle with parsley and a liberal grinding of black pepper.
9. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

The recipe originates from the Algarve region of Portugal and can be found, along with many other mouth-watering recipes in the Williams Sonoma book, savoring Spain and Portugal.