Name: Clams Bulhao Pato
Yield: Makes 6 first-course servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups water; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 48 small hard-shelled clams (5 pounds) such as littlenecks (less than 2 inches wide), scrubbed well; 2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (about 1 large bunch); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Accompaniment: crusty bread

These clams in garlicky broth were named after Bulhão Pato, a 19th-century Portuguese poet. Although his verses have been largely forgotten, the dish remains popular throughout Lisbon. Serve it as the first course of an elegant meal or as the main course of a light lunch.

Recipe notes

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