Chef: Bryan Webb
Ark of Taste Product: Penclawdd Cockles
Ingredients
2 kilo of cockles in the shell
100g dry cured streaky bacon with the rind removed
2 onions chopped about 225g
150ml of white wine or dry cider
100g carrots cut into small dice
500g of potatoes diced
100g leeks finely chopped
50g unsalted butter
Sprig of thyme
300ml milk
100ml double cream
A pinch of smoked paprika
Chopped flat parsley
Method
- Wash the cockles in cold water and drain.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the bacon and chopped onion and cook on a low heat until the onion is soft, add the carrot and leek and continue to cook until they are soft.
- In a separate pan heat the white wine or cider, add all the drained cockles and place on a high heat with a lid, give the pan a good shake and cook until the cockles have opened, have a bowl and a colander ready and pour the cockles into the bowl.
- Pour the drain juices though a fine sieve onto the soft vegetables and bacon, add the potatoes, thyme and milk and cook until the potatoes and just cooked.
- While the potatoes are cooking, pick the cockles out of the shells, then add to the soup mix once the potatoes are cooked.
- Add the cream, paprika and check the seasoning, be careful with salt, just before serving add the chopped parsley.