King Clam
THE GEODUCK on my counter was definitely alive. When it flexed its nine-inch siphon, my wife retreated to the living room. Even my 3-year-old, Iris, who is not afraid of anything, didn't want to get too close.
It was on my counter because of an offhand comment by "Oyster" Bill Whitbeck. Oyster Bill is co-author of "The Joy of Oysters" and the farmers market manager for Taylor Shellfish, Washington's largest shellfish business. He is not, despite his name, a retired pirate.
I was at the Ballard Farmers Market one Sunday in search of some quahog clams for chowder. Whitbeck didn't have any. "You know what you should try, though," he said. "Geoduck chowder."
A geoduck, in case you aren't acquainted, is the world's largest and ugliest commercial clam. It is native to the Northwest, often weighs more than three pounds and is best known for the phallic siphon that extends up to 18 inches outside the shell. The vast majority of our homegrown geoducks are flown to Japan, which is why you can easily pay $50 for a single geoduck.
When Whitbeck suggested geoduck chowder, I laughed, thinking, "Sounds good. You make it." I knew there was some awesomely sweet and tender meat, perfect for chowder, hiding inside those oversized shells. The geoduck became my Moby . . . well, let's just say white whale.
Sooner or later I'd have to bring a geoduck home.
But me, go mano-a-clammo? Not without professional assistance. So I called Seis Kamimura, executive chef at BOKA Kitchen + Bar, former sous chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago. He said sure, come over.
I reported to the BOKA kitchen on a Sunday morning. Kamimura handed me a geoduck and we got to work. Cutting up a geoduck, it turns out, is a snap. After the shell is off, you cut away and discard the belly, an obvious and gross spherical organ. We peeled our geoducks and Kamimura showed me how to slice the siphon for sashimi. Then he made two chowders. One was Korean-style, with kimchi made by his Korean mother-in-law, fresh pork belly, Manila clams and geoduck.
Next Kamimura made what he called his Ultimate Northwest Chowder. He began with aromatics and Hempler's bacon, then added flour, clam stock, mushroom bisque, geoduck, Manila clams, mussels, potatoes, celery root, cream and a garnish of sautéed mushrooms. I helped out by eating a large bowl of the Korean chowder.
So I got my geoduck chowder, which sadly is not on BOKA's menu, twice over. My work here was done.
Almost. I did promise Oyster Bill I'd buy his geoduck and make chowder. You can get yours from Taylor Shellfish (360-432-3300); they're also frequently in stock at Uwajimaya. The geoduck weighed 2.2 pounds and cost $36. I often spend less than this for a new pair of pants. No offense to Oyster Bill, but I wish they sold geoducks at Costco, which, incidentally, is where I buy pants.
A few months ago, I made lobster chowder, and it was one of Iris' favorite meals ever. She suggests it for dinner often, but I haven't made it again, for the obvious reason. Now she may get her wish, because geoduck chowder makes lobster chowder seem downright frugal.
Matthew Amster-Burton is a Seattle writer. He can be reached at matthew.reviews@gmail.com. Tom Reese is a Seattle Times staff photographer.