Some of the lowest tides of the summer will occur beginning June 30 through the Fourth of July weekend, and will allow a rare chance for shellfish gatherers to harvest geoducks on some Puget Sound and Hood Canal beaches.
Those who don’t want to try digging these deep-dwelling shellfish on their own can purchase them at many seafood stores in the Seattle area. Geoduck are very popular in Asia where it is a rare and expensive treat. The meat is very sweet and has a great crunchy texture.
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In this week’s seafood recipe of the week, Executive Chef Wesley Hood at AQUA by El Gaucho in Seattle will offer his take on a delicious geoduck fritter recipe that will wow your guests at the dining table.
Hood along with other chefs from El Gaucho and The Inn at El Gaucho will be contributing a handful their delicious recipes for the Reel Time Northwest Fishing blog. Each of recipe will be related to the “catch” of the week.
Hood found his passion for food and cooking in high school when he began working as a dishwasher in a restaurant at the age of 15.
After moving to Seattle in 2000, he took on two full time jobs at Meridian Restaurant and Classic Catering. Hood then moved on to Palisade Restaurant until being promoted to his first management position at Maggie Bluffs, and then at Scott’s Bar and Grill.
His journey on the local restaurant scene moved on as Sous Chef for both Elliott’s Oyster House and Union Square Grill. Hood then joined Waterfront Seafood Grill, and assisted with the re-branding and transition to AQUA by El Gaucho. In January 2012, he transferred to El Gaucho Bellevue as a Sous Chef, and in March of 2013, returned to AQUA where shortly thereafter he was promoted to Executive Chef.
His most exotic food? “Geoduck!” he exclaimed in a bio on his wonderful trip through the local Seattle dining scene.
“It’s clean and pure clam flavor and tastes just like the ocean!” said Hood.
This season we have weekly recipes and advice through October on how to cook up and dish out a wide variety of local seafood by experts like Chef Taichi Kitamura, owner of Sushi Kappo Tamura on Eastlake in Seattle; Chef Maria Hines, owner of Tilth, Golden Beetle and Agrodolce restaurants; Chef Pat Donahue with Anthony’s Restaurant; outdoor cookbook author Tiffany Haugen; head chef Chris Gabel at Tini Bigs and Hula Hula in downtown Seattle; tackle shop owners; local seafood-market owners; and fishing guides and charter services.
Recipes will run these every Wednesday through Oct. 28 so if you have yummy recipes you’d like to reel-in my way, please let me know and I will post them and will even test it out with my family and friends at the dinner table.
Chef Hood’s Geoduck Clam Fritters with Remoulade
Preparing and Breading Geoduck
Set up a pan of flour (2-3 cups)
Another pan of egg wash (I used 4 eggs simply whipped together with a fork)
Another pan of Panko Bread Crumbs (3 cups)
A plate or other container to put the breaded clams onto.
Directions
With one hand, (this will be your “dry hand”) dip the clam belly strips into the flour. Shake off the excess flour and drop them into the eggs. With the other hand, (your “wet hand”) take the clam out of the eggs and dip them into the panko. Using your “dry hand” pack the panko around the clam and remove to a plate or some other container. Repeat this process in stages until all of the belly meat has been breaded.
Remoulade for Geoduck Clam Fritters
Ingredients
1 each Egg yolk
3 T Dijon
2 T Grain Mustard
½ tsp. Kosher Salt
½ each Lemon, Fresh Squeezed
2 c Canola
½ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 T Shallots, minced (about 1 each)
1 T Garlic, mined
3 T Capers
2 T Cornichons
2 T Fresh Chives
Tabasco
Directions
In a bowl whisk the egg yolk with mustard until thoroughly combined and mixture begins to pale in color. Slowly add the oils while whisking to emulsify. Add the Lemon juice as needed… should resemble the viscosity of a mayonnaise. (You can add a little water at this point if too thick) Add remaining ingredients. Enjoy!
Here is a video link by Chef Hood from AQUA by El Gaucho on how to prepare the Geoduck Clam Fritters with Remoulade: