Geoduck

West Coast Geoduck Sashimi with Ponzu

Geoduck (pronounced 'gooey-duck') is a giant Pacific clam harvested along the coast of British Columbia. Its crisp, sweet mantle and belly are traditionally served raw in Canada, sliced thin and paired simply with citrus and soy.

Prep

20 min

Total

20 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •450 g (1 lb) geoduck siphon (neck) and mantle meat, fresh, shucked; freeze for parasite control
• •60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce, Japanese shoyu
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh yuzu or lemon juice, yuzu preferred for authenticity
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) rice vinegar
• •5 g (1 tsp) kombu dashi (powdered), or 1 small piece of kombu steeped
• •10 g (2 tsp) grated daikon radish
• •2 g thinly sliced green onion
• •1 g shichimi togarashi (optional), Seven-spice blend
• •4 g perilla or shiso leaves, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Freeze the geoduck meat solid at -20°C (0°F) for 7 days (or -35°C / -31°F for 15 hours) to destroy any parasites before raw service; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
2. 2 Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Briefly blanch the outer siphon skin for 15 seconds only, then transfer to iced water. This tightens the skin for easier slicing; do not cook the interior meat. Pat dry.
3. 3 Slice the siphon crosswise into very thin rounds (about 3 mm / ⅛ inch). Slice the softer mantle meat the same way. Arrange on a chilled plate in a single layer.
4. 4 Whisk soy sauce, yuzu or lemon juice, rice vinegar, and kombu dashi together to make the ponzu.
5. 5 Spoon 15 ml (1 tbsp) ponzu over each portion, or serve on the side.
6. 6 Top each serving with grated daikon, green onion, and a pinch of shichimi togarashi if using. Garnish with shiso leaves and serve immediately.