We knew we wanted to balance the crisp, alder smoke flavor of our smoked geoduck with mildly sweet aromatics in this recipe. One thing led to another, and suddenly we were inspired by the classic Sicilian pasta with fresh sardines and fennel. This linguine dish has a nice perfume from not only the fennel, but also raisins, pine nuts and white wine. Truth be told, it almost has a candy-like quality, which sits nicely amid more savory and acidic dishes, as in our multi-course Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner.

As we’ve noted elsewhere in the Galley, the Pacific geoduck is a large, obscene-looking clam when it lurks in its native muds. Unfortunately, we can’t fit the entirety of the obscenity into a can, so it’s already processed for quick incorporation into most recipes that call for canned clams. And, it works nicely in this recipe too.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

Technique

Saute the fennel, pine nuts, and raisins in olive oil until aromatics begin to release. Add sliced geoduck, can juice, white wine and garlic. Toss and reduce slightly on low heat.

Raise the flame to medium high and add linguine. Toss to coat with the pan’s contents. Reduce heat again and simmer gently for a moment. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley and toasted breadcrumbs if you desire.