Sea Urchin Uni Butter from Strip House Recipe

By
Erin Zimmer
Erin Zimmer Strenio was the first national managing editor at Serious Eats.
Erin Zimmer
Erin Zimmer Strenio is a writer, editor, and brand designer who was the national editor at Serious Eats from 2008-2013.
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Updated May 09, 2019

Uni, or the edible part of the sea urchin, is already decadent enough as it is. So when Strip House—the Greenwich Village steakhouse where the walls are covered with burlesque photos—goes and butterifies uni, things get pretty crazy.

It's not technically on the menu, but the steak accessory became a trend when the chef John Schenk wanted to serve surf and turf without adding extra protein to the plate. For $4, the side can accompany any Strip House cut of meat.

Taste-wise, it's as decadent as it sounds. Rich, creamy, and sweet, the butter goes atop steak that's already been cooked with a regular, un-uni butter.

Recipe Details

Sea Urchin Uni Butter from Strip House Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 26 to 30 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces uni filet (one flat)

  • 1 pound unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon minced chives

  • Pinch of ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Using a rubber spatula, pass the raw uni through a fine mesh tami, making a purée.

  2. Reserve chilled.

  3. Whip butter in a Kitchen Aid mixer until soft and lightly whipped.

  4. Fold in the uni purée and gently mix. Scrape the sides of bowl throughout to ensure that all butter is incorporated into uni.

  5. While still mixing, add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Once these ingredients are combined, add chives.

  6. Remove from mixer and onto work space. Roll the uni butter carefully into a log. Refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124Calories
13gFat
1gCarbs
2gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 26 to 30
Amount per serving
Calories124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g16%
Saturated Fat 8g39%
Cholesterol 42mg14%
Sodium 148mg6%
Total Carbohydrate 1g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg7%
Calcium 5mg0%
Iron 1mg5%
Potassium 33mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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