Carne de porco à alentejana
Photo: Rui Ornelas · CC BY 2.0

History

Carne de porco à alentejana came to Lisbon from the Alentejo with the rural-to-urban migration of the 19th century. The dish's improbable surf-and-turf marriage (pork and clams from the same red-pepper-paste marinade) is regional Portuguese cooking at its most distinctive; the practical truth is that the clams sweetened the rough farmhouse pork. Casa do Alentejo on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão (a 17th-century Moorish palace) is the canonical Lisbon address; O Magano in Campo de Ourique plates a sharper modern version; Solar dos Presuntos serves the classical preparation.

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Common allergens: Shellfish, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 800g pork shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes
  • For the marinade: 60g massa de pimentão (Portuguese red pepper paste; sold at Iberian groceries, or substitute 2 tbsp sweet paprika mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar)
  • 6 garlic cloves (smashed)
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 800g small clams (palourdes or amêijoas), purged in cold salted water 30 minutes
  • 600g waxy potatoes (peeled, cut into 1.5cm cubes)
  • Sunflower oil for frying the potato cubes
  • 1 large bunch fresh coriander, leaves only (chopped at the last moment)
  • 2 lemons, cut into wedges
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Pickled vegetables, to serve

Method

  1. Combine pork, massa de pimentão (or substitute), smashed garlic, white wine, bay leaves, pepper and salt in a bowl. Mix to coat; cover; marinate in the fridge 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  2. Drain the pork well; pat dry on kitchen paper (the marinade must not be wet when it hits the pan or the meat steams rather than sears).
  3. Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy frying pan over high heat. Add the pork in a single layer (in batches if needed); brown deeply on every side, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Lift out and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Pour any remaining marinade in; bring to a simmer; cook 2 minutes to drive off the alcohol.
  5. While the pork browns, fry the potato cubes: heat 3cm of sunflower oil to 180°C / 350°F in a separate pan. Fry the potato cubes in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per batch until deep golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper; season with salt.
  6. Return the pork to the pan with the reduced marinade. Add the purged clams to the pan; cover with a lid.
  7. Cook over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes until the clams open. Discard any clams that stay closed.
  8. Plate: pile the fried potato cubes in a wide shallow bowl. Spoon the pork and opened clams over with their juices. Scatter a generous handful of chopped fresh coriander on top.
  9. Garnish with lemon wedges; the diner squeezes lemon over before eating. Serve with pickled vegetables and crusty bread for mopping.

Tip from the editors. Massa de pimentão (Alentejo red-pepper paste) is essential; without it the dish goes generic. Purge clams in cold salted water 30 minutes; sandy clams ruin it.

Where to eat carne de porco à alentejana

Carne de porco à alentejana in Lisbon

Casa do Alentejo ★ 4.2

€€ AlentejanoRestauradores

Casa do Alentejo in Lisbon's Restauradores: a 17th-century palace with a Moorish patio serving the bread soups, migas and pork of the Alentejo.

OrderAcorda alentejana, the bread-and-coriander soup, with a poached egg.

Directions

O Magano ★ 4.6

€€ Alentejano PetiscosCampo De Ourique

O Magano in Lisbon's Campo de Ourique: a 2002 Alentejano room from brothers Marco and Bruno Luis, petiscos, favas com chourico and pork-with-clams done right.

OrderCarne de porco a alentejana, pork with clams, the canonical Alentejo dish.

Directions

Solar dos Presuntos ★ 4.5

€€€ Portuguese SeafoodRestauradores

Solar dos Presuntos in Restauradores, Lisbon: a family seafood institution open since 1974, famous for cured ham, Minho cuisine and a celebrity wall.

OrderThe plate of presunto first, then arroz de marisco for two.

Directions Book

Bistro 100 Maneiras ★ 4.7

€€€ Bistro ContemporaryChiado

Bistro 100 Maneiras on Largo da Trindade in Chiado: the casual sister of 100 Maneiras in Bairro Alto, opened by Ljubomir Stanisic with late hours and a noted.

OrderThe tartare bar selection, two cuts compared side by side.

Directions Book

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