Pure sea flavour and absolute cleanliness

If one shellfish defines the perfect aperitif, it is the cockle. In this collection we have gathered only the best tins on the market, the great majority of them from the Galician rías, the world capital of this particular mouthful. Forget the tiny, dry cockles of the supermarket: here we select artisan houses that treat every piece as a jewel, achieving a final product of extraordinary juiciness and meatiness.

How to tell a good cockle

Three things separate an excellent tin from an ordinary one, and they are worth knowing before you choose:

• No sand. It is the flaw that ruins the whole experience and the one that recurs most in cheap tins. It is avoided with a long purging process in seawater and hand desanding, which costs time and money — and which industrial brands cut short.
• Whole, firm flesh. An overcooked cockle shrinks and turns rubbery. A good one keeps its body and a taut texture you notice at the first bite.
• Clear liquor. If the liquid is cloudy, something went wrong. In a good tin the juice is transparent and tastes as good as the shellfish.

Choose your grade

• Giant and extra large (20/30 to 30/40 pieces): the crown jewel. Imposing, remarkably meaty pieces that fill the mouth, saved for the most special occasions or for impressing the most demanding guests.
• Medium and traditional (40/50 to 50/60 pieces): the perfect balance for a weekend aperitif. A generous size, ideal for sharing, where the ratio of flesh to liquor is simply impeccable.
• Natural, in their own liquor: all our cockles are packed natural, using their own cooking juices as the covering liquid. A broth so deliciously briny and clean that many chefs use it as a secret ingredient to lift sauces and rice dishes, or drink it straight from the tin, well chilled.

Before serving

The cockle is the exception to the room-temperature rule: it is better served cool, between 10 and 12 ºC. Put the tin in the fridge twenty minutes before opening it, tip it onto a plate with all its liquor and serve with a cold albariño or a beer. A squeeze of lemon if you like, though a good cockle does not need it.

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