Geoduck Sashimi
Seattle, Washington, USA
The geoduck (pronounced 'gooey-duck') is a grotesquely large burrowing clam native to Puget Sound, with a siphon that can extend over a meter long. Pacific Northwest Indigenous peoples have harvested it for millennia. Prepared as sashimi, the siphon is blanched for seconds, ice-shocked, and sliced paper-thin to reveal a translucent, ivory flesh with an ocean-sweet crunch unlike any other shellfish. It's prized in Japanese and Chinese cuisine (most of the Pacific Northwest harvest is exported to Asia), yet largely ignored by American diners. A single geoduck can live over 150 years.
Ingredients
- 1 wholeLive geoduck clam
- 3 tbspSoy sauce (high quality)
- 1 tbspFresh wasabi (grated)
- 1 tbspRice vinegar
- 4 leavesShiso leaves
- 100 gDaikon radish (shredded)
- 2 piecesLemon wedges
- 1 bowlIce water
Directions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
- 2
Separate the geoduck's siphon from the body by cutting around the base of the shell. Remove the gut ball and set aside (can be used for chowder).
- 3
Dunk the siphon into boiling water for exactly 10 seconds, then immediately plunge it into the ice water. The outer skin will loosen.
- 4
Peel away the tough outer skin of the siphon to reveal the smooth, pale flesh underneath.
- 5
Split the siphon lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove any sand.
- 6
Slice the siphon crosswise into paper-thin pieces, angling the knife at about 45 degrees for maximum surface area.
- 7
Arrange the slices on a chilled plate over shredded daikon and shiso leaves. Serve immediately with soy sauce, fresh wasabi, and lemon wedges.