SS Merroir of Seafood Recipes – Geoduck Fritters and Black Bean Clams

Southwest Homeschool Community Event: Presenting the Merroir of Clams and Geoduck.

On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Mark and Lisa Tagal were at it again with another presentation in their Merroir of Ocean-Farmed Seafood grant talks. This event was held at the North Hill Community Club through a contact made at the Squid-A-Rama event last fall. This talk was for the Southwest Homeschool Community with kids ages 4-10 and several parents in attendance. The approach to Merroir for this demographic includes species, farming style, and the different species’ cooking applications. This event was one of the most fun Merroir events yet.  

Mark started the presentation with this story: “When I was a small kid, my favorite bite of seafood was the clam roll from the No-Name restaurant in Boston. Eating there was probably one of the earliest things that made me want to be a marine biologist.” Then, he began talking about the different kinds of clams grown in Puget Sound and how they are farmed. Once the PowerPoint presentation was over, the group moved to the table with many clams and one geoduck. 

The talk around the table began with clams and explaining how the Pacific Northwest Tribes have harvested clams since time immemorial. Mark showed the kids how to count the age of a clam by counting its rings, just like a tree. Next was a sorting game to see if any clams had opened or cracked. Mark explained how this was an integral part of clamming because you donʻt want to eat shellfish that might not be fresh. Once sorted and the shells cleaned, Mark set the clams aside until it was time to cook them. 

If you are unfamiliar with the Pacific Geoduck, you are in for a surprise. Once you see a full-grown geoduck, you will never forget its memorable physique, specifically the part that constitutes its foot. The geoduck is the largest burrowing clam in the world, and it uses its elongated foot to burrow itself deep under cold, clear ocean water. With a life span of around 140 years, the geoduck is one of the longest-living animals on the planet. This large clam holds many surprises on top of its shape, size, and life span records. In China, it is a highly prized delicacy that is very expensive for those who fancy eating this plus-sized clam. Part of the reason for the pricey sales tag is that it doesnʻt grow just anywhere. It inhabits the shores of Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. If you have ever had the chance to walk along the shorelines in this region, there is a really good chance that this jumbo clam may have already spat on you. Geoducks squirt out excess water, eggs, sperm, and waste through their siphon. Unlike its more petite clam pals, you may get a burst enough to get you damp. The last fun fact about geoducks is that they are homebodies. Once they dig into their sandy home, they never move from it. If you were to pull a portion of the geoduck out, but not all of it, it cannot dig itself back underground. It is a one-and-done thing for them. Leaving geoducks in their “home” is important because if you are not going to eat a geoduck, please let it live in peace for the rest of its 140+ years. Teaching stewardship of the land and ocean is one of the most critical components of the greater Merroir purpose.

Finally, we got to cook! The kickoff recipe was Black Bean Clams with rice. All attendees seem to agree that the best way to eat this dish is to:

• Eat all the clams that stay in the shell first.
• Eat all the clams that fall out during cooking mixed with the sauce and the rice.  

Everyone got in on the clams and rice. Many had extra servings and happily finished off all of the clams.

The final dish was geoduck fritters! Since the geoduck had been cleaned with the kids at the table and sliced into small portions for the raw tasting, there was little prep work left to create the fritters. Mark did all the frying for obvious safety reasons while the kids gathered tightly at the bar with paper trays, waiting for this crispy, tasty treat. There was a simple dipping sauce for those who like fried seafood with tartar sauce. All the kids agreed that they would like their parents to take home the recipes so they could eat this ocean-farmed deliciousness at home. Let’s hope one of them loves fried clams enough to become a marine biologist, chef, or whatever they want—as long as they love clam rolls!

Geoduck Fritters

Geoduck 

• Geoduck siphon, foot, or mantle cleaned and sliced thin.

Step 1. Coating

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon old bay
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Step 2. Egg wash

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup water

Step 3. Breadcrumbs

• Italian bread crumbs

Step 4. Fry in hot oil.  

Remoulade Sauce

This is a great way to get the kids helping in the kitchen by making this simple dipping sauce.  

• 2 cups mayo
• 2 tablespoons basil paste 

For a little more complete sauce, try this one.

• Mayonnaise – higher quality does make a difference.  I like Kewpie.
• Mustard 
• Hot sauce and cayenne – I like Barnacle hot sauce because it has kelp, Delidas from Panama, or good old Tabasco.  I would avoid Mexican hot sauce or siriacha unless you really want that flavor. 
• Paprika –sweet smoked is best.
• Garlic, scallion, and onion powder – just a pinch of each.
• Fresh lemon juice – for brightness.

Black Bean Clams

• 1-2 pounds of manila clams. Make sure they are tightly closed
• 2 tablespoons black bean paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 bunches of green onions
• 1 bunch cilantro
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• Tablespoon oyster sauce
• Lime juice

Get the oil very hot. Dump all the ingredients in the pan at once. Toss a few times to make sure everything is well mixed, then cover.  It cooks in about 5 minutes. 

Main Ingredients

• 2 pounds clams (or cockles)
• 0.25 ounce ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 whole chili peppers
• 3 stalks green onion
• 3 layers red onion
• 1 ounce red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (for stir frying)
• 1 teaspoon of cooking oil (for finishing)

Sauce

• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 0.25 cup water
• 0.25 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Grab your favorite bowl, layer in some hot rice, and then put a heaping portion of the clams on top! You can always add a chunk of rustic bread to dip in the juice after you finish the clams. So many ways to enjoy this ocean-fresh dish. Enjoy!