Basque White Bean & Clam Stew (Pochas y Almejas)

[Alexandria Profile]

This Asturian and Basque wintery dish is absolutely a marvel and relatively very simple to prepare ..

Ingredients:

400 grams of Alubias Blancas (Northern white beans) or Pochas ( a jumbo size Spanish Asturian white bean )
1 / 2 Kilo of fresh clams ( one can sub other shell fish or Hake or Cod if they prefer)
1 / 2 of a large red bell or horn shaped fresh pepper
1 spring onion or 1 regular yellow onion
100 Ml. Txakoli - Basque white wine ( or sub a dry white wine of choice or Cava )
Spanish Bio Evoo ( light )
Salt to taste
1 tiny red Cayenne dried horn shaped pepper ( can sub dried red pepper flakes ) to taste ..
A sprinkle of minced fresh parsley
Jarred rinsed artichoke hearts, rinsed and drizzled with lemon
2 cloves of garlic minced finely

1) Soak the beans overnight ..
2) Place the wine in an earthenware and heat ..
3) Add the clams with a pinch of salt to taste ..
4) Cover the earthenware and reserve the broth ..
5) In a sauté skillet, heat the crumbled chili pepper called a guindilla in water and cover for approx. 20 minutes ..
6) Now peal a couple of cloves of minced garlic and place in a sauté pan with Evoo .. Sauté the garlic until just tender ..
7) Mince the onion and the red bell ..
8) Season with a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper ..
9) Now, peel and de-seed the tomato, and minced and place into the sauté pan with the garlic, minced onion & minced red bell and sauté 10 minutes.
10) Let the veggies cool and with a stand up mixer or blender or food processor, combine ..
11) Add the clam & wine liquid to the veggies as well ..
12) Take the mixture and sauté for 10 minutes more with the clams ..
13) Add the patted dried alcachofas and the drained cooked White beans ..
14) Adjust the salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh parsely ..

Voila ! Delicious .. Serve with a glass of White wine and rustic country bread ..

Enjoy,

Have a wonderful weekend ..

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Thanks Alexandria for the nod.
Actually, not Basque, but I have "granxet" white dried beans in the cupboard, I've bought a stash from the regular Thursday market in Tossa de Mar.

Almejas are always tricky to get.
I may see them in a fish shop on our travels to Oxford. I think we call them carpet clams over here?
Not a regular feature though in the shops.
Which is why I dine out on them all the time when in Spain. Al vapor mostly.

[Alexandria Profile]

The Gilt Painter,

Perhaps you can sub Cockles or Mussels ..

Your white beans sound fine !

Have a lovely evening ..

Going to hit the sales !! Shops ..