Continued from the front page.

(Meretrix lyrata), imported from Vietnam, at our local Asian market. The package pictured below cost $3.50 and contained about sixteen clams, very pretty, and very tasty, considering. Discovering them will lead, I think, to some further exploring of Asian clam dishes, something I’ve been eager to do.

Now we’re ready to rock — and to part ways with Mses. Chung and Samuels. For one thing, I’m going to add a mess of Chinese mustard greens to give the dish more substance. I’ve also decided to poach the eggs ahead of time, for reasons that will become apparent when I assemble the dish. To do this poaching, I rub a little toasted sesame oil inside a ziplock sandwich bag, then break two eggs into it. Then I zip the bag closed and poach it in the simmering stock, keeping the temperature at 145°F, hot enough to cook the whites while keeping the yolks soft and runny. The bag has to be turned several times to ensure that the whites are cooked and the yolks heated through, about ten minutes in all. Here are the eggs poached and waiting.