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Santa Maria-Style Limpets in Afonso Sauce
Santa Maria-style limpets in Afonso sauce from the Azores: limpets in their shells cooked briefly with onion, garlic, red pepper, parsley and olive oil.
- 4 servings
- 15 min
- 10 min
- Easy
Limpets in Afonso sauce were one of Santa Maria's favourite petiscos back when limpets were plentiful around the island: small limpets, still in their shells, cooked in moments in a light base of onion, garlic, red pepper and parsley softened in olive oil.
Speed is everything: the limpets cook only until they loosen from their shells, and the pan is shaken rather than stirred. They are served as a starter or snack with cornbread and a glass of vinho de cheiro, the traditional island wine.
Method
Wash the limpets well in cold water, changing it two or three times, then drain.
Finely chop the onion and garlic and let them soften in the olive oil over a low heat without colouring.
Once the onion is soft, add the chopped parsley and red pepper and season with salt and black pepper.
Turn up the heat and add the limpets to the pan, with the wine if using.
Cook briefly, shaking the pan now and then instead of stirring, and take it off the heat as soon as the limpets begin to come away from their shells.
Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve at once.
Tips
- Choose small, live limpets. Outside the Azores, look for Azorean or Madeiran limpets, fresh or frozen, at specialist fishmongers.
- Limpet gathering in the Azores has a closed season and its own rules, so always buy from authorised sellers.
- Do not overcook them: limpets turn tough within minutes.
- Go easy on the salt, as limpets are naturally salty.
- On São Miguel some cooks add 50 ml of white wine with a teaspoon of flour dissolved in it to thicken the sauce.
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