Bring a pot of water to the boil with 3 kawakawa leaves, 3 dried kawakawa berries and half a lemon. Blanche the whole geoducks for 10 – 15 seconds only, depending on size, then lift out with a slotted spoon. Keep the liquid for the chowder stock. To prepare the geoducks, remove the shell, and peel the outside skin layer from the main syphon, then separate into the three main components, cleaning off any sand or silt as you work. The syphon can now be very thinly sliced for the sashimi element, presented and garnished as desired; retain the meatier parts of the clam for the chowder. For my dish I made a very simple carrot puree – two fresh carrots, peeled and finely sliced, just covered in water in a small pot and boiled until soft, modestly seasoned with salt and ground white pepper, then pureed.
