Sautéed Geoduck Clams, with Shitake mushrooms and sake sauce. Incredible edible taste experience!

Sautéed Geoduck Clams Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 4 dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 fresh, (or 12 oz., minimum) sashimi grade geoduck clam
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp. garlic and herb butter, divided
• 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• 2 tbsp. Good quality, Junmai Ginjo sake
• 1 tbsp. dark, mushroom flavored soy sauce
• 2 green onions, trimmed and fine chopped

Directions:

1. Rehydrate the mushrooms in a mixing bowl with boiling water. Leave them in the water for about 5 minutes, then strain them through a fine sieve (coffee filters work good for this, too), and reserve the liquid.
2. Trim the rough ends off of the stems and chop them into rounds, and slice up the mushroom caps.
3. Wash and clean the geoduck and chop it into bite sized pieces.
4. Dredge the pieces in the flour, and then shake to release any flour not clinging well.
5. Melt 2 tbsp. of the garlic and herb butter in a saucepan over medium high heat, and sear the geoduck for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Now add in the spinach, mushrooms, sake and soy sauce, and cook one more minute.
7. With a slotted spoon, remove all the cooked ingredients and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl and keep it warm in the oven.
8. Now add the mushroom water into the pan and adjust heat to a lively simmer.
9. Cook until the mushroom water has reduced a bit, then whisk in the other 2 tbsp. of garlic and herb butter and the chopped green onions. Cook for about 2-3 more minutes.
10. To serve your Sautéed Geoduck Clams, place a generous portion of the clams and mushrooms in each serving bowl, and ladle a liberal amount of the reduced mushroom water and green onions liquid over each serving.