Cockle Soup

Ingredients:
Serves 4

• 1 kg of cockles (conquilhas) ;
• 100 grs of onions ;
• 4 cls of olive oil ;
• 150 grs of fresh tomatoes ;
• 1 bay leaf ;
• 100 grs of rice ;
• 1 bunch of coriander ;
• salt to taste ;
• pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash the cockles in cold water. After washing, place the cockles in a bowl and cover them with sea water. Should sea sea water be unavailable, use drinking water seasoned with salt.
Place a pan on the flame, pour in the olive oil and warm up. Peel the onions and chop them up in slightly large pieces. Add to the olive oil in the pan and fry without browning.
Meanwhile, take the stems off the tomatoes and scald the latter in boiling water to remove the skin and then the seeds. After cleaning them, chop up the tomatoes and add them to the pan together with the bay leaf. Fry.
Wash the cockles in cold water again and place them in another pan. Cover them with water and place the pan on the flame. Let them open (cook).
Drain the liquid in which the cockles were cooked, passing it through a fine strainer. Remove the edible part of the cockles. Add the liquid in which the cockles were cooked to the pan.
Select, wash and drain the rice. Add it to the ingredients in the pan and cook.
Wash and chop up the coriander. Add it and the edible part of the cockles. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Hint: Use large cockles.

source: Algarve Tourist Region

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