Pochas (White Beans) with Clams Recipe, a Traditional Dish in Northern Spain

Pochas with clams is a stew dish in which this special bean is the protagonist. Pocha is a variety of white bean that is harvested before it has reached maturity. In fact, for this reason it is considered a vegetable and not a legume. Moreover, as they do not harden inside the pod, they are softer and require less cooking time than the rest. It is mainly grown in Navarre, La Rioja and the Basque Country.

Because of their soft texture and pleasant flavour, pochas are perfect for cooking with meat, vegetables, fish, seafood… So, in today’s recipe we accompany them with clams; one of the most popular dishes in restaurants in the north of the peninsula. The preparation is simple and an excellent result can be achieved by choosing quality products.

Ingredients for the Pochas with clams recipe:

  • 600 g of pocha beans
  • 400 g of clams
  • 1 onion
  • 1 Italian green pepper
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tomatoes
  • Chives
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

How to make Pochas with clams:

  1. The first step of the pochas with clams recipe is to cook the beans. Put them in a saucepan and add 3 cloves of garlic, slightly opened. Pour in the water so that it covers the pochas, a couple of fingers over the top. Then add the halved onion and pepper, the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
  2. With most of the ingredients in the pot, turn on the heat and bring to the boil. After 20 minutes, lower the heat and skim off any foam that has risen to the surface. Let it simmer for another half an hour.
  3. After this time, take the vegetables out and put them in a blender (except for the garlic) with a couple of spoonfuls of the cooking water. Mash the vegetables and return the resulting mixture to the pot. Turn up the heat to bring it to the boil and, when it reaches boiling point, leave it for another 10 minutes.
  4. If the clams have sand in them, clean them. To do this, put them in cold salted water for an hour before starting the recipe.
  5. While the pocha beans are still cooking with the vegetable sauce, add a chopped clove of garlic to a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Then add the clams and let them cook a little. As soon as they are hot, add the glass of white wine and a handful of chopped chives. Take the clams out when they open.
  6. When you have take all the clams out, add them to the pot that contains the beans. Stir using the handles of the pot and your pochas with clams are ready.

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