Geoduck Chowder

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
• •Large bowl of ice water
• •Sharp slicing knife
• •Slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the geoduck

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Plunge the whole geoduck into the water for exactly ten seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath. This brief blanch loosens the outer skin. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the dark membrane covering the siphon. It should slip off like a glove. Split the shell and remove the body. Separate the siphon from the breast meat. Slice the breast into thin strips. Slice the siphon crosswise into coins no thicker than a quarter inch. Refrigerate until ready to use.

   Work quickly during blanching. Overcooking at this stage toughens the meat irreversibly.
2. 2

   Render the bacon

   Place the diced bacon in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon turns golden and crisp. This takes eight to ten minutes. The kitchen should smell like breakfast. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels. Leave the rendered fat in the pot.

3. 3

   Build the aromatic base

   Add the butter to the bacon fat and let it foam. Add the leeks, onion, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and turn translucent. This takes about ten minutes. You want them tender but without color. Browning would compete with the clean oceanic flavor we're building. Add the garlic in the final minute, stirring until fragrant.

4. 4

   Deglaze with wine

   Pour in the white wine and increase heat to medium-high. Let it bubble vigorously, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot. The alcohol burns off in about two minutes, leaving behind clean acidity and a subtle fruitiness. The liquid should reduce by half.

5. 5

   Simmer the potatoes

   Add the potatoes, clam juice, fish stock, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes yield easily when pierced with a knife but hold their shape. This takes fifteen to eighteen minutes. The liquid will reduce slightly and become infused with the essence of the sea.

   Resist the urge to boil aggressively. Gentle heat keeps the potatoes intact rather than disintegrating them into starch.
6. 6

   Finish with cream

   Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Pour in the heavy cream and return to a gentle simmer. Cook for five minutes, allowing the cream to meld with the briny broth. The chowder should coat a spoon but still flow easily. Season with salt and white pepper. Taste critically. The ocean should come through clearly, the cream supporting rather than masking.

7. 7

   Add the geoduck

   Remove the pot from heat. Immediately stir in the sliced geoduck. The residual heat of the chowder cooks the thin slices in thirty seconds. You'll see the meat turn from translucent to opaque. This happens fast. Do not return the pot to the burner. Overcooked geoduck becomes tough and rubbery, a waste of a magnificent ingredient.

   Adding the geoduck off-heat guarantees it stays tender. Trust this method.
8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls. Scatter the reserved bacon, fresh dill, and chives over each serving. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up every drop. This chowder does not improve with sitting. The geoduck continues to cook in the hot broth, so bring bowls to the table quickly.

Chef Tips

• •Ask your fishmonger to clean the geoduck if you're nervous about the process. A good one will do it while you watch, teaching you for next time. The best geoduck comes from certified sustainable divers who harvest by hand from managed beds in Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or British Columbia.
• •If geoduck proves impossible to source, substitute a combination of razor clams and butter clams. You'll lose the signature sweetness but maintain the spirit of Pacific Northwest chowder making.
• •The chowder base can be prepared through step six up to a day ahead. Refrigerate and reheat gently before adding the geoduck. This actually improves the flavor as the aromatics meld overnight.
• •Serve with a crisp, mineral-driven white wine. Washington State Grüner Veltliner or an Oregon Pinot Gris matches the briny sweetness beautifully. The acidity cuts through the cream.

Advance Preparation

• •Geoduck can be cleaned and sliced up to 4 hours ahead. Store tightly wrapped in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
• •The chowder base (through step 6, before adding geoduck) can be made one day ahead. Reheat gently before finishing.
• •Bacon can be rendered and crisped earlier in the day, held at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)