This is a great Mediterranean main course soup that can be served any season. With clams, linguiça, Cannellini beans and lots of vegetables, it’s got everything you need for a full meal. Plus it’s not a difficult or time consuming soup to make; it can easily be made under ways in calm to moderate seas. Be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Portuguese Clams with Sausage

2 tablespoons EVOO
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 lb linguiça or kielbasa
1 can Cannellini Beans
2 dozen little neck clams
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken boullion
1 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Garnish with sprigs of parsley

Chop the onions and tomatoes and linguiça (or Kielbasa if you can get ahold of that wonderful Portuguese sausage). Mince the garlic. Heat up the EVOO in your largest soup pot or pressure cooker. Be sure it has a lid. Sauté the sausage, onions and garlic until browned.

Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Continue to cook on low for 10 minutes.

Now you add all the rest of the ingredients except the clams. I hardly ever have chicken broth on board. It just take up too much room and additional weight when it can be so easily made. I usually make my chicken broth with Better than Bouillon. I do however ALWAYS have white wine on board!

Simmer on low for another 10 minutes, sitting occasionally. Adjust the seasoning if needed. I do not usually add salt to this soup as the chicken broth and Kielbasa already have plenty of salt in them.

Rinse the clams under water to get all the grit and sand off them before adding to the soup pot. Keep the soup on a good simmer and cover the pot with its lid. Pour yourself some of that white wine you opened, if you haven’t already, and wait for the clams to steam open. Your cabin will smell delicious!

Serve in big bowls with an additional bowl to throw clam shells into. Crusty bread is a must to soak up the broth. Enjoy!