The Recipe Box

This one is from the area where I grew up, and I remember them on the menu at the "Beach Shack" spelled just like this -

"Portageese" Steamers

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 tablespoons garlic paste
A foot of linquica (Portugese sausage), sliced medium-thick
1/2 cup white wine - wine-in-a-box Chardonnay is fine
2 bay leaves
1 pint water - you may use fish stock or chicken broth
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
3 pounds soft-shell clams - use cherrystones or mussels if you can't find soft-shells.

Melt the butter inn a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or stockpot, ass the onion, garlic, and sausage and fry until the sausage is almost cooked through. Add the wine and bay leaves, then simmer until the liquid in the pot is reduced by half, then pour in the water/stock/broth, parsley and clams and simmer. The clams are done when they open – about fifteen minutes.

Serve in bowls with crusty bread on hand for dipping.