Sea Urchin Crostini with Lardo & Sea Salt

If sea urchin is going to be the next pork belly I have no objection, your Honor. I am guilty as charged for enjoying it so much. New York has been rolling in roe for a long time with top restaurants featuring uni on their menu in all its glory. I had dinner at Marea recently and the first bite of the night was an amazing Uni, lardo and sea salt crostini that I had to immediately replicate at home – and you should too. It couldn’t be easier or delicious. You don’t even need a recipe since what you see on the photos is all there is to it, but I just wanted to document it because that’s what I do.

The complex salty-sweet flavor of sea urchin is accentuated by a sprinkle of sea salt and the firm crunch of the crostini complements the outrageously creamy topping. Oh, and lardo is pure, unadulterated pork-fat flavor. Anything it’s melted on becomes that much better. It’s a simple but impressive juxtaposition of decadent ingredients. Thanks to Michael White at Marea for coming up with this one.

  • Sea Urchin Crostini with Lardo and Sea Salt

  • Inspired by Michael White @ Marea
  • Serves 4
    • For the sea urchin crostini:
    • 8 slices baguette
    • xv olive oil
    • 1 sprig rosemary
    • 1 tray sea urchin
    • 8 thin slices lardo, frozen
    • sea salt
    • For the Sea Urchin Crostini:
    • Brush the baguettes slices with olive oil and toast in oven until golden. Brush the rosemary against the crostini. Place 4 pieces of roe on each crostini and top with thinly sliced lardo (place block of lardo in freezer before slicing). Return the crostini to the oven or use a blow torch to melt it. Serve warm sprinkled with sea salt.

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  • http://chefpandita.com Yuri

    Beautiful photography!

  • http://vanillasugarblog.com vanillasugarblog

    i’m with you on the uni!
    as a kid i used to spend a few summers on maine (mohegan island) and this is where i learned how to open sea urchin and eat it straight from the shell.  
    it was so cold and so fresh; we used to call them “uni shots”.  good times.

  • shirley@kokken69

    Wow!! Look at that big fat Uni – too luxurious! These would make an impressive party food… for those who don’t cook but with loads of cash to throw around :)…not me, though- I normally have to slog in the kitchen for a party :)

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZL5JUVRGG4SL734S4BZJNJL5DE B. C.

    So glad Liberal Yankees are enjoying the fruit of the coral reef in New York City.  How many carbon credits did this cost you?  

  • Anonymous

    You’re so ignorant, it hurts. 
    Keep chewing on your Perdue chicken sandwich. 

  • Anonymous

    Wow. You had the best of the best. I’m jealous!

  • Jessica Lee Binder

    I want!! Where do you buy good uni?

  • Stacey Snacks

    Forget the uni, I can’t find the lardo!  I heard Dickson Butcher is selling a good lardo……..this is rich and delicious, as is typical of Michael White.  
    Screw the guy who is jealous of liberal Yankees!

  • Baker Street

    wow! such lovely clicks! 

  • http://willtravelforfood.com mayssam

    As a kid growing up in Lebanon, our favourite beach activity was diving for sea urchin. We got most of them taken away from us by the adults but we managed to eat quite a few of them raw straight from the shell… Good times!

  • http://cosmopolitancurrymania.blogspot.com Purabi Naha

    I have never had sea urchins. But, I am open to experimenting with food! This looks delishh! What an interesting photography! Loved everything about your blog. http://cosmopolitancurrymania.blogspot.com

  • http://twitter.com/Grubarazzi Grubarazzi

    I love the simplicity of this dish. The sea urchin is allowed to shine. This is beautiful. 

  • http://www.tastewiththeeyes.com/ Lori Lynn

    This is sheer genius. 
    Delightful photos too.LL

  • DocChuck

    Are you “gay”?

  • Cucina49

    You always make the most interesting things–and that first photo is fabulous!

  • Smith And Ratliff

    Looks delicious!

  • http://vxdollface.tumblr.com/ Vivian – vxdollface

    Oh how indulgent! Definitely something I’d devour :)

  • http://www.noobcook.com noobcook

    I’m always treated to gourmet looking good food when I am here, a far cry from the ugly food I eat at home all the time hehe

  • Anonymous

    mmmmm…seriously…how can you go wrong with uni???

  • Frank

    Wow! I love uni and I love lard, but hadn’t ever thought about eating them together. But it makes perfect sense. It must be incredible!

  • http://www.kitchenriffs.com kitchenriffs

    Amazing flavor combination.  I can taste it already.  And who doesn’t like a recipe that requires a blow torch?  Really good work – thanks.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you!!

  • Anonymous

    Oh, please! Your food looks amazing! :) 

  • Anonymous

    Japanese markets or fish companies. Try to find Santa Barbara uni if you can!

  • http://twitter.com/eatdrinklove amy

    I love uni.  I like lardo.  I’d love to have both….*drool*

  • Veronica

    Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving, but I need to track down a torch! Where did you get yours?

  • Anonymous

    I’m sure places like Bed, Bath and Beyond, Sur la Table and William Sonoma sell blowtorch but if you don’t own one you can just prepare the crostini and place them in a 350’F oven for a few minutes, until the lardo melts over everything. Think of it as cheddar cheese over a burger. :) The blowtorch is optional, really. 

  • we are never full

    oh hell yeah. this is almost more decadent than a slab of crispy skinned, melty  fat pork belly.  what a fabulous, unctuous treat (and, as always, gorgeous photo).

  • http://twitter.com/four_tines Stefie

    How long should the lardo go in the freezer before slicing?