Dungeness Crab Rice With Brown Butter Dashi Recipe
that used to be a supplement for the tasting menu
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Ingredients
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Dashi & Brown Butter
Rice & Assembly
Method
Dashi & Brown Butter
- 1
Make kombu dashi
Place the kombu and 1,200 ml cold water in a medium saucepan. Let sit 30 minutes if you have time (optional), then slowly bring to a bare simmer over medium heat. Just before it reaches a boil (small bubbles at the edges), remove the kombu to avoid bitterness.
- 2
Finish dashi with bonito
Add the bonito flakes to the hot (but not boiling) water. Turn the heat off and let steep 3–4 minutes until the flakes sink. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl and discard (or reserve) the used bonito for another use. You should have roughly 1,000–1,100 ml of clear dashi.
- 3
Season the dashi
Return 400 ml of the strained dashi to a small saucepan (reserve remaining dashi refrigerated for another use). Add the soy sauce, sake, mirin and 1 tsp salt. Warm gently to combine, then turn off heat and keep warm but not boiling. This seasoned dashi will be used to moisten and flavor the rice and to finish the dish.
- 4
Brown the butter
In a separate small skillet over medium heat, add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter. Let it melt, then foam and subside. Continue cooking, swirling the pan frequently, until solids turn golden-brown and the butter smells nutty, about 4–6 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning. Immediately transfer the brown butter to a heatproof bowl to stop cooking.
Rice & Assembly
- 5
Rinse and cook rice
Rinse 1 cup short-grain rice under cold water, gently swishing until the rinses run mostly clear (2–3 times). Drain 10–15 minutes. Combine rinsed rice and 220 ml water in a small pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a simmer over medium, then reduce to low, cover and cook 12–14 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, 10 minutes.
- 6
Finish rice with butter and dashi
Fluff the hot rice with a rice paddle or fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 3–4 tablespoons of the warm seasoned dashi (start with 3 tbsp, add up to 4 tbsp to reach a moist but not soupy consistency). Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of salt or a few drops more soy if needed. The rice should be glossy and lightly flavored with dashi.
- 7
Warm the crab gently
If the crab is cold, warm it very gently to preserve texture: place the picked crab meat in a heatproof bowl and pour 2–3 tablespoons of the warm seasoned dashi over it, toss lightly, then let sit 1–2 minutes. Alternatively, briefly warm the crab in a skillet over very low heat with 1 tsp neutral oil for 20–30 seconds, tossing — do not overcook.
- 8
- 9
Assemble the bowls
Divide the dashi-seasoned rice between 2 bowls (recipe yields 2 small tasting portions or 1 larger main portion — see servings). Top each portion with the brown-buttered Dungeness crab, arranging the crab attractively. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of the warm seasoned dashi around the rice (not soaking it) to add gloss and flavor. Drizzle remaining 1 tsp brown butter over the crab for aroma.
- 10
Garnish and finish
Thinly slice scallions and scatter over the crab. Zest or lightly squeeze half a lemon over the dish to brighten flavors. Finish with a few micro shiso or micro herbs, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and a tiny drizzle (about 1 tsp) of neutral oil for sheen. Serve immediately while warm.