Donabe rice
with cultured butter and dungeness crab

by Ryan Ratino
Washington D.C., United States
 

DONABE RICE
110g washed rice (Koshiibuki, short-grain, from Niigata)
30g butter
3g thyme leaf
60g Maitake mushroom (pulled apart by hand)

KANI MISO & BUTTER SAUCE
100g Kani miso
400g cultured butter
250g blanched and picked crab meat (Dungeness legs)
50g chives (sliced)
1 lemon wedge

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED
1 medium donabe (earthenware clay pot from Japan)

1 — DONABE RICE
Mix all the donabe rice ingredients together and let rest in the donabe for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cook over an open fire or fire pit (gas stove top can be substituted). With lid on, place directly over red embers and cook until steam shoots out. Allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest, with lid on, for 25 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and season with salt to taste.

2 — KANI MISO
Prepare the Kani miso by breaking the head off a Dungeness crab, keeping all of the insides and liquid intact. The head should remain whole and in a bowl shape with everything resting in it. Place the head over a wood grill and bring the insides up to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove head and scrape everything out into a blender. Blend on high speed for
1 minute and pass through a fine tamis or strainer.

3 — BUTTER SAUCE
In a medium pot, gently warm the Kani miso to a simmer. Slowly stir in the butter, about 100g at a time, without allowing the sauce to get too hot, creating an emulsification. Once all butter is emulsified with the Kani miso, add the crab meat, and allow to warm through. Remove from heat, stir in the chives and juice from one squeeze of lemon. Season with salt to taste.

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS
Leaving the fluffed rice in the donabe, cover with the butter and crab sauce. Serve family style, from the donabe.