Sea Urchin Linguine

Ingredients

• 4 Sea urchin (Uni) (Whole urchins; roe extracted and cleaned, plus extra for topping)
• 2.5 tbsp Unsalted butter (2-3 tbsp)
• 300 ml Heavy cream
• 150 ml Zesty white wine (such as Vinho Verde)
• 0.5 Lemon juice (a squeeze to taste)
• 250 g Linguine
• Sea salt (for pasta water and seasoning to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (powdered)
• 1 tbsp Crème fraiche
• 1 tsp Confit garlic oil (a drizzle)
• 2 tsp Oscietra caviar (for garnish)
• 1 tbsp Fresh chives (finely chopped for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the sea urchins by carefully cutting out the mouth. Pour out the internal liquid, then use kitchen shears to snip around the shell, taking care not to damage the roe.

2. 2

   Once the shell is opened, reveal the bright orange roe. Rinse the roe in cold water, pull out any dark gooey bits, and set the cleaned roe aside.

3. 3

   In a pan set over medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

4. 4

   Pour in 300ml of heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer.

5. 5

   Add approximately 150ml of zesty white wine to the pan.

6. 6

   Meld the ingredients together and bring back to a simmer. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.

7. 7

   Add a generous amount of the cleaned sea urchin roe to the sauce. Whisk the roe to break it up, emulsifying it into the cream sauce as it heats.

8. 8

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente.

9. 9

   Transfer the al dente linguine directly into the cream sauce along with a ladle of the starchy pasta water.

10. 10

    Allow the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles. Remove from heat.

11. 11

    Season the pasta with sea salt and black pepper. Stir in the powdered parmesan and 1 tablespoon of crème fraiche until well combined.

12. 12

    Add a drizzle of confit garlic oil for extra depth of flavor.

13. 13

    Plate the linguine and spoon over any remaining sauce. Top each serving with a few fresh pieces of uni, a spoonful of Oscietra caviar, and chopped chives.

Notes

Sea urchins are best when in season for their earthy, salty, and creamy texture. The acidity from the Vinho Verde and lemon is essential to cut through the richness of the cream and butter.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• seafood
• finedining
• uni
• sea urchin
• dinner
• creamy