It is known that Molly Malone sang of her cockles and wares through the streets of Dublin, but most have not tried the saltwater clams. Here, cockles in heart-shaped shells get together with a spicy lamb sausage and a white wine cream sauce to create a wonderful shellfish dinner.
Cockles – a member of the clam family that you can get from your fishmonger – has a pretty longstanding association with Dublin, thanks to Molly Malone. Every schoolchild in Ireland learn it in school, although the bit about her being a lady of the night on the side is usually glazed over.
This recipe combines cockles, with their delicate morsels of flesh, with spicy Turkish lamb sausage. Lamb and seafood may seem like an odd combination, but it works incredible well. It serves 2 as a main meal with crusty bread, or 4 as a starter portion. 
Drunken Cockles
Description
It is known that Molly Malone sang of her cockles and wares through the streets of Dublin, but most have not tried the saltwater clams. Try these dutch cockles as they get together with a spicy lamb sausage and a white wine cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 500g (1lb) cockles
- 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1/2 head of fennel, thinly sliced
- 2 spicy lamb sausages, skins removed and sliced into small chunks
- 250ml (1 cup) white wine
- 150ml (2/3 cups) cream
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the clams in a large bowl filled with salty water and leave for twenty minutes.
- Strain and repeat this three times to get out all the grit.
- Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat and saute the shallot and fennel for 10-15 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic for the final three minutes.
- Add the sausage meat, increase the heat a bit and cook until browned all over (about five minutes).
- Add the wine and bring to the boil.
- Add the cockles, cover with a lid and cook for five or six minutes until they are open.
- Add the cream for the final two minutes of cooking.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with some nice bread (you won’t need to season it, the cockles are very briney)
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Irish
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cockles and where do I buy them?
Cockles are small saltwater clams with distinctive heart-shaped shells. They are a member of the clam family and have a delicate, briney flesh. Look for them at fishmongers, specialist seafood markets, or Asian grocery stores. In the UK and Ireland they are widely available; in North America they are less common but can be ordered online. Small Manila clams or New Zealand cockles are the closest readily available substitutes.
Can I substitute the spicy lamb sausage with something else?
Yes. The recipe uses spicy Turkish lamb sausage (sucuk) for its fat content and heat, which balances the briney cockles. Chorizo is the most natural substitute — it brings similar spice and richness. Merguez (North African lamb sausage) also works well. For a lighter version, leave the sausage out entirely and add a pinch of chili flakes to the fennel-shallot base.
How do I know when cockles are cooked?
Cockles are done when their shells have opened, which takes 5–6 minutes in the covered pan. Discard any shells that remain firmly closed after cooking — those cockles were dead before they went in. Do not overcook; cockles become rubbery quickly. The recipe notes they are very briney, so taste before adding any additional salt.
