The world's largest burrowing clam, geoduck is an odd, scary looking creature that I basically stare at the Chinese market. They're intimidating and I've never prepared one myself, leaving geoduck for professional cooks to render into delightfully crunchy morsels. (Incidentally, the photo to the right is from a Hong Kong restaurant. The exchange rate is roughly 7.8 HK dollars to 1 US dollar.)
However, after watching a how-to video featuring Vietnamese-American chef Xinh of the well-respected Xinh's Clam and Oyster House in Shelton, Washington, I'm thinking I can attack geoduck. In this clip from Mike Rowe's "Dirty Jobs" show that airs on the Discovery Channel, Xinh displays great aplomb and a no-nonsense approach to eviscerating the unusual bivalve. After all, she is a five-time champion oyster shucker and doesn't fear much when it comes to shellfish of any kind. Rowe, on the other hand, is a bit squeamish, but his sarcasm and humor help him get through the situation.
Geoduck video (on No Guts, No Glory blog)
Notes:
Many thanks to John Rowley, a Seattle-based seafood expert and contributing editor to Gourmet, for sending the link.
More geoduck information is available at:
Geoduck in the Puget Sound (how to find them and dig them up!)
