Sea Urchin Pasta

~Sea urchin is my guilty pleasure food; a splurge-on-pay-day kind of treat. It was by far, the most nerve wracking cooking experiment I had ever embarked upon. To take one of nature’s most perfect foods and *gasp* alter it in a way where (hopefully) it would not desecrate its natural, simple beauty. I adapted portions of Eric Ripert’s recipe. However, I couldn’t bear to blend the uni into the butter. I think it actually worked out better having small chunks of uni throughout the pasta.

Special Equipment:

Sauce pan

Medium pot

Kitchen torch

Ingredients:

1 pkg sashimi grade uni (sea urchin)

1 garlic clove- mashed

½ stick unsalted sweet butter- softened

3 tbsp whipping cream

3 tbsp freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

Fresh ground pepper

Salt

8oz spaghetti

Lemon wedge 

Instructions:

1. Place pasta in a pot of boiling salted water to cook until al dente.
2. Set aside about 4 pieces of uni for garnish.
3. In a medium sauce pan (DO NOT TURN ON HEAT), use a fork to mash uni and butter until creamy with small chunks of uni.
4. Turn on heat to medium low and slowly melt uni butter.
5. Whisk in cream, garlic clove, and 2 tbsp of cheese.
6. Add a pinch of salt and one grate of pepper. Stir and taste. Add more salt if necessary.
7. By this time, pasta should be done. Shake off excess water and place pasta directly into uni sauce.
8. Toss pasta until thoroughly coated in sauce.
9. Divide up pasta into serving bowls. Place reserved uni gently on top of each pasta mound. Lightly sear uni with torch. Sprinkle remaining cheese over pasta. Finish with a light squirt of fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately.