Echine de porc aux coques

Échine de Porc aux Coques (Pork Loin with Cockle)

We found this recipe in a Breton cookbook but it wasn't until we had made it to Spain that we tried it out. It turned out to be delicious and even the kids ate it, cockles and all.

Cockles have been easy for us to source in both France and Spain (we have picked them up from the fishmonger but also the local mini-market freezer). You can substitute small saltwater clams instead (there is a difference in flavour but it will be too subtle with all the sauce going on in this dish).

serves 8

300g cockles
1 onion
1 garlic clove
4 tbl olive oil
800g pork loin
750ml dry white wine
400g can of diced tomatoes
1tbl paprika
1 bay leaf
600g potatoes
Coriander to serve

Purge the cockles in cold water (if required).

Dice the onion and garlic.

Cut the pork into 2cm chunks and brown in the olive oil for 6 - 7 minutes.

Add the onion and continue frying over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, wine, bay leaf and paprika and bring to the boil. On a low heat, simmer for 1 hour.

Peel and wash the potatoes and dice into 2cm pieces, then add them to the pork. Cook for 15 minutes.

Add the cockles and cook for a further 15 minutes.

When the potatoes have softened, remove from the heat, roughly chop the coriander and add to the dish before serving.