Ameijoas a Bulhao Pato
Photo: ricardo · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Created at Restaurante Tavares in Lisbon in the 1870s and named after the poet Raimundo de Bulhao Pato, who ate there often and recommended the dish in his published verse. The dish became the canonical Portuguese clam preparation and now anchors every cervejaria from Pinoquio to Ramiro, with the coriander-and-garlic finish the marker that distinguishes the Lisbon version from regional Algarvian preparations.

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Common allergens: Molluscs

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1kg fresh live clams, scrubbed
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • Country bread, sliced thick

Method

  1. Soak the clams in salted cold water for 30 minutes to purge sand, drain.
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Tip in the clams and stir to coat, then add the white wine.
  4. Cover with a lid and steam 4 to 6 minutes until the shells open. Discard any that stay shut.
  5. Off the heat, fold in the coriander.
  6. Tip everything into a deep dish, broth and all. Serve with lemon and bread.

Tip from the editors. Don't add salt to the dish. The clam liquor brings everything you need, and over-seasoning ruins the broth.

Where to eat ameijoas a bulhao pato

Ameijoas a Bulhao Pato in Lisbon

Cervejaria Ramiro ★ 4.7

€€ SeafoodIntendenteUntil Tue-Sun until 00:30

Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon: the canonical late-night seafood hall on Avenida Almirante Reis, last orders 00:30, prego no pao the traditional closer.

TryGoose barnacles and prego no pao

Directions

Cervejaria Pinoquio ★ 4.3

€€€ Portuguese SeafoodRestauradores

Cervejaria Pinoquio on Lisbon's Praca dos Restauradores: a no-fuss Portuguese seafood room serving from morning to late night, clams and arroz de marisco.

OrderAmeijoas a Bulhao Pato, clams in garlic and coriander.

Directions

Cervejaria Liberdade ★ 4.4

€€€ Portuguese Seafood and MeatAvenida

Cervejaria Liberdade in Lisbon: a polished seafood hall inside the Tivoli Avenida, Berlenga gooseneck barnacles, Algarve prawns and Aveiro oysters daily.

OrderAlgarve red prawns and a glass of Soalheiro Alvarinho.

Directions Book

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