Cook and Scale
Carne de Porco à Alentejana (Pork & Clams)
4 servings · 45 min total
A brilliant Alentejo classic pairing marinated pork with briny clams, crisp fried potatoes and fresh cilantro — surf and turf, Portuguese-style.
Ingredients
- 700 g pork tenderloin, cubed
- 500 g clams, cleaned
- 2 tbsp piri piri sauce
- 4 garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 dl white wine
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g potato, cubed
- 1 l vegetable oil, for frying the potatoes
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Contains: Molluscs, Sulphites
Allergen info is best-effort — please verify yourself.
Method
- 1.
Marinate the pork cubes — Combine the pork cubes with the garlic, smoked paprika, piri piri sauce, bay leaf, half the white wine, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
- 2.
Fry the potato cubes — Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan to 175°C and fry the potato cubes for 6-8 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- 3.
Sear the pork in batches — Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, pat dry, and sear in batches for 3-4 minutes per batch until browned all over. Set aside.
- 4.
Cook the pork and clams — Return all the pork to the pan, pour in the remaining wine and reserved marinade juices, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the clams, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes until they open, discarding any that stay closed.
- 5.
Stir in the crispy potatoes — Stir in the fried potatoes and lemon juice, scatter with cilantro, and serve immediately while the potatoes are still crisp.