This dish was inspired by the ink raviolis that I had at Gusto, an Italian restaurant in LA. I loved the color contrast between the black pasta, yellow corn and creamy white ricotta filling. However, I was underwhelmed on the umami front. The uni sauce was not “uni” enough. I guess nothing can be too briny or fishy for this Asian. Admittedly uni is expensive and beautiful uni should not be wasted in a sauce.  But I did so here just to prove a sick uni point. Again I used dashi stock to punch up the sauce base which included sauteed shallots, scallions (white part), garlic, white wine and cream. The blue crab filling mixed with burrata and seasoned with a touch of white pepper and sea salt made the raviolis simple yet uber decadent.

Ravioli Ingredients:

• 1 cup blue crab claw meat
• 1 Burrata ball, chopped up
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 4 long sheets of very thinly rolled out fresh ink pasta

Uni Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 scallion (white part), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup dashi stock
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of freshly shucked corn
• 1/2 scallion (green part), thinly sliced for garnish

Steps:

1. To make filling, mix blue crab, burrata and its chopped up mozzarella “skin”, salt and white pepper in a mixing bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Watch youtube video on how to make raviolis. 
3. Use rolled out ink pasta sheets and blue crab filling to make raviolis.

1. In a sauce pan, heat up butter. 
2. When butter bubbles, add shallots, garlic, salt and stir-fry.  Do not burn garlic.
3. Deglaze pan with white wine.  Scrap up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Burn off the alcohol completely.
4. Add dashi stock and reduce to a simmer.
5. Add cream and do not allow the mixture to boil.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. When sauce has cooled slightly, combine mixture with uni in a food processor. Process until uni disappears.
8. Pour mixture into a foamer (I used a Nespresso milk foamer) and foam.
9. In a separate pan, saute corn with a 1 tsp of olive oil until partially cooked.
10. Boil raviolis in heavily salted water for 3 mins.
11. Plate raviolis, layer on uni foam sauce and top with corn.
12. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions.

With cuttlefish ink, once you go black you cannot go back. Today I made fried baby black balls also known as arancini di riso nero de seppia. I seasoned the ink risotto with a dashi stock base. Chef David Chang of Momofuku catapulted this basic Japanese stock into stardom. Every chef is now all sweaty for the fish cardboard sawdust known as katsubushi. It adds a deep almost smoky fish flavor to a stock. I would almost call it bacon of the sea.

Embarking on an umami binge, I folded grated pecorino romano into the dashi based risotto. Ignore folks who ban mixing cheese with seafood. I then stuffed the risotto balls with a variety of fillings; mozzarella, uni, smoked white fish. Mozzarella because it is a classic.  Uni was for decadence which I later regretted because it was simply too rich. Finally I chose smoked white fish because I am a closet Jew. The panko breadcrumbs added an extra crunch, contrasting nicely with the melted gooey mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups Ink Risotto
• 1 cup grated pecorino romano
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs
• Mozzarella ball
• Uni
• Smoked white fish

Steps:

1. Fold pecorino romano cheese into ink risotto.  Make sure that the mixture sticks. 
2. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Form risotto patties on palm of hand and fill center with a variety of stuffings.  Chef’s choice.
4. Shape into balls.
5. Chill balls in freezer for ease of handling latter during the drying process.
6. Season flour with 1/2 Tbsp salt.
7. Place egg wash, flour and panko breadcrumbs in separate plates.
8. To coat with batter, dip each risotto ball in flour, egg wash and panko breadcrumbs, following this strict sequence.
9. Heat oil in fryer.
10. Deep fry each ball until crust turns golden brown.
11. Serve immediately while hot.

This dish is my take on a pasta item that I had at Bestia, currently my favorite restaurant in LA.  The restaurant ink dyed its bottarga and used dried spaghetti.  Not wasting an opportunity to flaunt my home made ink pasta recipe, I used it here.  I love this dish because it is an umami powerhouse.  Sauteed anchovies, garlic and toasted bottarga hits you with Thor hammer force.  The dish may look a bit busy but the flavors work wonderfully together.  The lemon zest and shiso threads brighten the dish while the sweet briny flavors of uni adds another layer of umami decadence. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh made ink spaghetti
• 3-4 fillets oil packed anchovies (flavor is milder)
• 1-2 gloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 cup of raw shelled shrimp, diced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup fried panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 shiso leaves, sliced into thin strips “chiffonade”
• Uni

Steps:

1. Boil a pot of water, season with salt
2. Heat a large saute pan with 2 Tbsp olive oil
3. Add anchovies and chili flakes.  Stir until anchovies disintegrate and fragrant
4. Add shrimp and garlic and cook
5. Add 1/2 cup of white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape brown bits from bottom of pan for flavor
6. Turn off heat
7. Cook pasta in boiling water for 5 mins.
8. In a separate pan, add olive oil and panko breadcrumbs.  Fry until golden brown
9. Toast bottarga and break into crumbs
10. Drain pasta and toss into pan with shrimp mixture
11. Add 1 Tbsp of butter to add a silky texture to pasta
12. Plate in pasta bowl
13. Top with fried breadcrumbs, toasted bottarga and shiso chiffonade
14. Layer with pieces of uni