Traditional Spanish Recipe Sea Urchins Rice
TRADITIONAL SPANISH SEA URCHIN RISOTTO
Serves 4
1 cup diced yellow onion, 1/8” dice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly crushed white peppercorns
1 cup Arborio rice
4 – 5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh sea urchin roe, carefully cleaned of all spines and grit, dividedç
METHOD FOR TRADITIONAL SPANISH SEA URCHIN RISOTTO
Sauté the onions, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly crushed white peppercorns, in olive oil until they soften and start to turn golden. Stir in the rice to completely coat it with oil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, and stir until it’s almost absorbed. Add 1/2 cup stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the stock is almost absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring while its absorbed, until the risotto is the consistency you desire; it should be moist and creamy, not dry. It takes about 18 – 20 minutes for the rice to cook.
When the rice is just done, stir in 1/4 cup sea urchin roe, and divide the risotto between 4 warmed plates. Make a shallow hollow in the center of each portion, and fill it with the remaining sea urchin roe, evenly divided.
Serve your traditional Spanish sea urchin risotto immediately.
TRADITIONAL SPANISH SEA URCHINS WITH PASTA
Serves 4
20 very fresh sea urchins
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (taste the oil, must have very delicate flavor)
1 – 2 cloves of garlic
chili pepper – a tiny bit
2 Tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
salt and lemon juice to taste
3/4 pound pasta
Using a heavy glove in the left hand take a sea urchin and with the point of a pair of scissors cut a circle large enough to spoon out the meat inside. Make sure that none of the shell or the spines is included.
Set the pasta water to boil, and when boiling add the pasta to be cooked “al dente”.
Peel the garlic, crush it slightly, and sautee it gently on low heat with a hint of the hot pepper until a light gold color.
A few minutes before the pasta (normally about 7 – 8 minutes) is ready, add the sea urchin to the oil and garlic and sautee gently until the pasta is ready. Taste and add lemon juice and salt if necessary.
Drain the pasta, place in a large, heated serving bowl, add the sea urchin sauce, and mix well.
Serve your traditional Spanish Sea Urchin Pasta with a sprinkle of parsley.
The coast of the Costa Brava in Spain is the perfect place to try these wonderful delicacies- on our private Tour of the Costa Brava, indulge in the cuisine of the area at unforgettable fine dining venues, charming local restaurants and in your gourmet cooking classes. This tour is designed for the guest who wishes to have an authentic Spanish experience,
