Pork and clams are a classic combination, and for good reason – they’re delicious individually, but they really shine when put together. I love combining Manila clams or cockles with smoked sausage – in this case, Spanish-style chorizo sausage from D’Artagnan – and serving them in a lightly spicy broth. I’ve become a huge fan of Israeli couscous, and I love adding a bit of that to the dish as well – it provides a fun interplay of textures and looks like little pearls floating in the broth.
To start, warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot, then add a couple of thinly sliced garlic cloves and sauté them until they’re golden and fragrant. Cut chorizo into chunks (I used 3 links – about 1/2 lb. – and ended up with about two cups worth) and add to the pan. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste and caramelize it, then stir it through. Add a cup and a half of white wine, a cup and a half of water, a tablespoon of smoked paprika, a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and a few dashes of hot sauce, stir, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, add a pound of cockles or small clams, cover the pot and continue cooking until they have opened (discard any that have not opened).
While the cockles are steaming, bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat, add 1 cup of Israeli couscous, cover and set aside.
When the cockles have opened, taste the broth and add salt if necessary. Add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves and stir through. Spoon a bit of couscous into each serving bowl, then ladle the cockles, chorizo and broth over the top. Garnish with additional fresh thyme.
What an amazing idea!! Serving the bivalves over israeli couscous! I hope you don’t mind if I borrow it!
Borrow away!