Hanna and I started a birthday tradition for each other a while back, where we would make a home-cooked meal for each other as part of our celebration. The very first year, I made her a five-course meal that started with caviar on blinis, beef tartare, uni pasta, a5 wagyu, and pandan creme brulee. Her favorite dish from that set was the uni pasta, which has become highly requested in our household since then.
What is Uni?
Uni, also known as sea urchin, is a special treat in the world of seafood. It’s actually the edible part of the sea urchin, which is its reproductive organ. Don’t worry, it’s much tastier than it sounds! Uni has a creamy texture with a briny, oceanic flavor that seafood enthusiasts absolutely love. You’ll often find it served raw as sushi or sashimi, adding a rich and luxurious touch to any seafood dish. It’s considered a delicacy in many places because of its unique taste and texture, making it a must-try for adventurous foodies!
The dish itself is very simple, so having high-quality ingredients is important. The star of the show is Hokkaido uni, which, in my humble opinion, is better than every other uni on the market. The burst of salinity and taste of the ocean in each piece of uni is worth the premium price you’re paying.
I like my sauce more rustic, but if you’re looking for a really creamy sauce, I’d recommend blending a couple of pieces of the uni with the cream fraiche first.
If you’re looking for a dessert to complete the meal, check out my Pandan Creme Brulee!
Uni Pasta
2
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
6 oz Hokkaido uni
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 lb fresh spaghetti
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 small onion
1/2 tbsp sambal
1/2 cup sake
Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnishes:
Chives
Panko breadcrumbs
Ikura
Directions
- Brown panko breadcrumbs with butter in a frying pan, then set aside
- Saute shallots and garlic in oil until fragrant; add sambal, sake, and creme fraiche and mix until homogenous
- Add half the uni to the pan, and break into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Cook fresh pasta in salted water, reserve some of the pasta water, and drain
- Add noodles to pan, mix well, and add a couple of tablespoons of pasta water to thicken the sauce
- Assemble by adding pasta, and garnish with panko breadcrumbs, chives, ikura, and fresh uni
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