Almejas a la Marinera (Fisherman's Clams)

white bowl of cooked clams in sauce sitting on counter.

Almejas a la Marinera (Fisherman's Clams)

Almejas a la Marinera is a delicious Spanish seafood dish of clams cooked in a slightly creamy white wine sauce. Easy to make, you can serve it as a first course or light main dish with a side of crusty bread!

Course First Course, Main Course, Tapas

Cuisine Galician, Spanish

Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings - 4

Author Alba Luna Meyer

Ingredients

4 pounds clams
1 tablespoon salt
1 white onion
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika powder, sweet or hot
1/2 cup water, cold
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups white wine
Chives or parsley , for garnish

Instructions

Place the clams in a bowl with cold water and salt. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Peel the onion and finely dice it. Peel the garlic cloves and mince them.
In the pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Then add the garlic and onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Stir regularly.
Reduce the heat to low and mix in the paprika powder.
Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water.
Add the wine and the cornstarch slurry to the pan and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
Drain the clams and then add them to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the clams open. Stir occasionally.
Garnish with chopped chives or parsley. Then serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Notes

Soaking the clams in salted water is crucial since it helps them open and release any sand they may have trapped inside. Don’t skip unless you want to have sandy clams.
If your tap water contains chlorine, use filtered or bottled water to clean the clams.
Traditionally, the dish is made with Carril clams, a type of clam from the town of Carril in Galicia, but it can be made with any type of clams. Baby clams are a popular choice.
Use a white wine you would drink on its own, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Opt for a dry or semi-dry white whine.
You can add whole cayenne peppers for a spicy kick but don’t add too many (this dish is not meant to be overly spicy) and remove them before adding the clams to the pan.
Do not eat clams that have not opened during cooking.

Nutrition

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.