The Summer For Savory Clams
Who doesn’t look forward to summer? And it’s not just us. Some fish are happier in warmer waters. So are savory clams!
The Savory Clam, sometimes referred to as the Purple Clam or the Purple Varnish Clam due to its vivid purple-hued shell is typically a late-summer replacement for the Manila Clam, which spawns during this time. While their residency in our recipes is relatively short lived, it’s a fun (and beautiful) clam to learn about.
HOW THE SAVORY CLAM IS GROWN AND HARVESTED
We source savory clams from our friends at Hama Hama in the Pacific Northwest. The savory clam is harvested from the waters of Hood Canal in Washington. As substrate dwellers, these clams bury themselves deep in the sand and are both filter feeders and deposit feeders, meaning they are able to filter water for food as well as feed on specks of organic matter that may have drifted down to them.
The savory clam harvesting method is no joke. The harvesters at Hama Hama hand dig each one, and then suspend them in metal cages where they can purge any sand and unwanted material they’re holding onto. However, sometimes there’s something holding on to them.
The Pea Crab is native to the savory clam and can sometimes be quite the surprise when present in a clam when it opens. The aptly named crab is roughly the size of a pea and may be found with the meat inside the shell.
HOW THE SAVORY CLAM CAME TO NORTH AMERICA
Although they were found in British Colombia, Canada in the early 1990s, they’re not a native species to the area. It is believed they were brought from Asia as hitchhikers on cargo ships during the late 1980s. Once they settled, they thrived in the Pacific Northwest waters and spread all the way down to Washington where they’re grown now.
SAVORY CLAMS VS MANILA CLAMS
There’s more difference in these two bivalves than just their temperature preferences.
Savory clams have a sweet, hearty and full body flavor with a celery-like finish, with a texture that is softer than the manila clam – more like mussels.
Aside from the flavor, Savory Clams also have a thinner shell when compared to the Manila Clam, resulting in a higher meat yield per pound.
The Savory Clam also cooks differently. While the key to telling when a clam is cooked is usually that the shell opens, Savories tend to flash open their shell when exposed to heat – even though they may not be fully cooked yet. Typically, Savories take longer to cook but are also much harder to overcook.
The noted difference in flavor can also provide a key difference in dishes. As the director of food and beverage at Hama Hama puts it, they’re “heartier” and can hold their own in stronger sauces and preparations like curry and spicy tomato sauce.
SAVORY CLAMS AT WATER GRILL
For a short time at Water Grill near the end of summer, we like to use the Savory Clams for dishes like the Farmed Savory Clams with Chorizo. Steamed in a saffron broth and served with a crispy French baguette, this dish hits the spot for any clam lover. The Savory’s heartiness makes it an ideal companion to the chorizo.
You can also find savory clams in one of our Guest favorites, the Cioppino. With Dungeness Crab, Jumbo Shrimp and fresh fish in a shellfish broth, this fisherman’s soup originated on the docks of San Francisco but is now loved wherever you’ll find a Water Grill.
As the seasons change so do our menus, so get in to try these seasonal dishes out while you can! You’ll find locations – and reservations – here.
All photos courtesy of Hama Hama Farms
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Chilean Sea Bass: The Sea's Greatest Rebrand
It wasn’t that long ago that having Chilean Sea Bass on the menu could get you run out of town. After a history of illegal, unreported and unregulated (also known as IUU) fishing, seeing this fish on a menu in the 90s became frowned upon. Thankfully, times – and practices – have changed. Now, fishing of Chilean Sea Bass is closely managed and certified. In fact, the MSC-certified Chilean Sea Bass is one of the most popular items on the Water Grill menu.
From near-extinction and banishment to craving, this fish has undergone quite the rebrand, but it wasn’t the first time.
HOW THE CHILEAN SEA BASS GOT ITS NAME
The Patagonian Toothfish, or Antarctic Toothfish, was relatively obscure to the world market until 1977, when a seafood wholesaler from Los Angeles, Lee Lantz, “discovered” it off the coast of Chile. There, it was known locally as “bacalao de profundidad” or “cod of the deep” in English. The fish was not very popular (its original name didn’t help) and it was thought to be relatively worthless by many local fishermen. Lantz described it as having a high oil content and white, flaky flesh.
Knowing the U.S. market would be unfamiliar, and partially perturbed, with terms like bacalao or toothfish, Lantz realized it was prime for a rebranding. He dubbed it a sea bass, attaching “Chilean” as an exotic modifier to a familiar-sounding type of American fish. The “new” name wouldn’t be recognized by the FDA until 1994 when it accepted “Chilean Sea Bass” as an “alternative market name” to the Patagonian Toothfish.
A HISTORY OF OVERFISHING
Because of the cold waters it inhabits, the Chilean Sea Bass is a very slow-growing fish, taking them about eight years to reach sexual maturity. However, they can live up to 50 years and reach weights over 250 pounds. Because of its slow-growing nature, and due to its blossomed popularity after its so-called discovery in the late 70s, the Chilean Sea Bass was at risk of being overfished. And it was.
NOAA states that “in 2000, more than 16,000 tons of Chilean Sea Bass were legally harvested in the Antarctic management area. Estimates vary, but there may be up to twice that amount taken illegally.” Although some illegal fishing may still happen, careful management and certification are helping the populations stabilize and restaurants take comfort in the viability and sustainability of the products they serve.
ABOUT THE CHILEAN SEA BASS
The Chilean Sea Bass is a deep lurker, usually being found at depths of 1,000 to 11,000 feet in the cold-water-deep-sea trenches near continental shelves. They will move to shallower waters to feed, with their diet mostly consisting of squid, small fish, shrimp and other crustaceans.
WELL-MANAGED FISHERIES
At Water Grill, we make sure to only feature Chilean Sea Bass that come from a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fishery. The MSC is an international organization that is committed to addressing the issues of overfishing throughout the world through fishery certification and seafood labeling. In addition to the MSC certification, all commercial fishing that is done in the immediate areas surrounding Antarctica, such as the Ross Sea, South Georgia Island, Herd Island, and other nearby areas, are managed by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) Commission and the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO)
HOW WE PREPARE CHILEAN SEA BASS
Chilean Sea Bass has a rich, buttery flavor with dense and moist meat. At Water Grill, we serve MSC-certified Wild Ross Sea Bass seasonally paired with either a cauliflower puree or a butternut squash with sage brown butter. Hungry for more? Head here to check out our menus or make a reservation.
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