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Meat, European

Pork alentejana with clams

Pork alentejana is a Portuguese dish that pairs meat and shellfish, paprika and garlic marinated pork, clams, and fried potatoes. It serves 4 people in 50 minutes of cooking, after a two hour marinade, for a budget of €4.20 per person. Its success depends on the pork marinade and the freshness of the clams.

Tonight, the Alentejo brings together land and sea with paprika marinated pork, clams, and fried potatoes.

Pork alentejana with clams
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Spring, Summer

Pork alentejana comes from the Alentejo, a Portuguese region where the cuisine pairs meat and shellfish without hesitation. Paprika and garlic season the meat deeply during the marinade, the clams release their briny juice that coats the pork, and the fried potatoes soak up this mix. It's a dish that surprises the first time, then quickly becomes a favorite.

Mon Chou suggests this version for a Sunday when you have time to marinate the meat ahead, or for a weeknight if you prep the pork the day before. It's a shareable dish, meant to be set in the middle of the table, perfect for guests curious to try a recipe unlike any other.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork loin or shoulder, diced 700 g

Fish counter

  • Clams 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Lemon 1

Pantry

  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Marinate the diced pork with the white wine, crushed garlic, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. 2 h

    Use a resealable freezer bag, the marinade coats the meat evenly.

  2. Let the clams purge for ten minutes in salted water, then rinse them. 10 min

    A bowl of homemade seawater, one tablespoon of coarse salt per liter, makes them spit out their sand.

  3. Cut the potatoes into cubes and fry them in hot oil until golden. 15 min

    Drain them on paper towels and salt them while still hot.

  4. Drain the pork and sear it in a large pan with the olive oil until golden. 12 min

    Cook in small batches, otherwise the meat steams in its own juice instead of browning.

  5. Add the clams, cover so they open, then stir in the potatoes, cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon. 5 min

    Discard any clams that stay closed, they aren't good to eat.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick clams that are tightly closed, discard any that stay open before cooking.
  • Fry the potatoes right before adding them to the dish, they should stay crisp under the clam juice.
  • Keep the heat fairly high when searing the pork, the meat should brown rather than release all its liquid.

The variations

  • Swap the clams for mussels, the result stays true to the surf and turf spirit of the dish.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the pork with button mushrooms and keep the clams for the sea flavor, or use canned clams to simplify things.
  • To save time, bake the potatoes in the oven instead of frying them, you lose a bit of crunch but gain an easier prep.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Bread to soak up the juices

Storage

Store the pork and clams separately from the potatoes, up to 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat the meat and clams gently in a pan, and crisp the potatoes back up in the oven for a few minutes. This dish doesn't freeze well because of the clams.

Questions about this dish

Can you use frozen clams instead of fresh ones?

Yes, thaw them completely and drain well before adding them to the pan. The flavor will be slightly less intense but the dish still works well.

Can you prep the pork marinade the day before?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the pork marinates best between two hours and a full night in the fridge. The longer it marinates, the more flavorful the meat becomes.

How do you know if the clams are still good to cook?

Before cooking, they should be closed or close when tapped. After cooking, discard any that stayed shut, they aren't safe to eat.

Can you make this dish without frying?

Yes, you can roast the potatoes in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, at 200 degrees until golden. The result is a bit less crispy but just as tasty.

How long does it take to make a pork alentejana with clams and fried potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a pork alentejana with clams and fried potatoes?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pork alentejana with clams and fried potatoes cost?

About €4.20 per serving, or €16.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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