When I first moved to Herron Island 7 years ago, a friend brought me a Geoduck which as though being so unattractive I had no idea what to do with it. Of course I acted so excited but in my mind I'm thinking what do I with this thing.
I called one of my best friends who had worked as a chef for years at the Stouffer Madison Hotel in Seattle. Luckily I was going to Seattle the next day and wanted to do something with this thing while it was good and fresh. He said he would meet me and have a recipe written out for me and I would find that something so easy could be so luscious. He said it has been the most popular chowder that they served, and kept telling me how blessed I was to have such a large (4 to 4 and 1/2 pound) Geoduck and it would make a huge stock pot of the most wonderful chowder I'd ever tasted. OK, people say talk too much so I'm going to stop now! Let's get on with this recipe.
Step 1: First of all, you need to clean your Geoduck duck.
Step 2: Boil a large pot of water, when it comes to a hard boil, drop the gooey duck into the water and count very slowly to 10. When you remove your duck the skin should come off very easily. After it is skinned, run under cold water and set on some paper towels. Save enough of the water which you boiled the gooey duck in; enough to boil the celery heart and the ends of each sweet onion. Boil for 30 min., strain and use the juice as your base. Add 4 jars of clam juice to this base.
Step 3: Saute in 1 cube of butter; 1/4 c chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 c chopped fresh marjoram
1 c finely chopped celery
1 to 2 finely chopped sweet onions
Step 4: Add the above herbs and spices to chowder and season with ground pepper and Mrs. Dash (salt free seasoning with garlic) simmer on low heat for an hour or more.
Step 5: Chop your Geoduck and add to chowder.
Step 6: Make a rue: 1/4 c olive oil
1 cube of butter, bring to very slow boil and add 1 c of flour and bring to another slow boil until a golden brown.
Step 7: Cube new white or yukon gold potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 cup) steam for about 10 min., add to chowder.
Step 8: Add 1 quart and/or an additional 1/2 cup of half and half. I know I do, but anything fattening rich is right up my alley. I must stop eating so much!
Step 9: Do not bring to full boil, but simmer until ready to serve. Serve with finely chopped parsley on top and serve with hot buttered baguette or french bread.
Use your own preference on the thickness or spices you like the best.