A P U R E E X P R E S S I O N O F T H E S E A
uni can seem daunting. but it’s already so good on its own. so, really, the hardest part is the sourcing.
get yourself a tray of uni.
unsure of where to find it? just have a conversation with your fish person.
fish person? yes. you’re best bet is a small seafood purveyor. but, even if you’re shopping at a place like Whole Foods or whatever - they should be able to help you, perhaps even place a special order for you.
this is, without a doubt, a special occasion dish, so a little planning ahead is to be expected. right?
so splurge on that $35-$45 tray. it’s worth it + you won’t screw it up.
UNI SPAGHETTI
1 tray of uni - is this a standard measurement - obviously, the fresher the better - even though most of the tongues are going to get turned into a sauce, you’ll want them to have bright orange color + good structure/texture - it’s a sign of great quality + that’s the whole point of this dish. simplicity. quality.
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small pinch of something of serious spice - Thai chili powder is the best, but Cayenne also totally works like a charm
get a pot of water boiling and season with salt. it shouldn’t be salty like seawater - more like a tablespoon or so.
boil your pasta for about 6-8 minutes while you do the following.
in a pan glug about a tbsp of olive oil and sauté the garlic over mid level heat making sure not to burn.
reduce the heat and throw 6-8 tongues of uni into the pan and stir quickly - more like whisking. you want to break the uni apart while emulsifying with the olive oil and garlic. hit with a pinch of your chili and turn the heat all the way down. it should be an orange saucy guy flecked with pepper.
by this point, your pasta should be just about done.
remove a spoonful or so of pasta water from the pot and add to your uni sauce and incorporate.
drain the pasta + add it to the uni sauce mixture and toss for no more than a minute.
plate, and finish with a couple more tongues of fresh uni, a drizzle of good olive oil, and a couple small pieces of basil if you have it - however, totally not necessary.