Soy-Cured Egg Yolks over Brown Butter Rice with Crisp Shallot

Steps

1. 1

   Make the cure a day ahead. Combine the soy, mirin, sake and sugar in a small pan and bring to a bare simmer to burn off the alcohol, about 2 minutes. Pull it off the heat, drop in the kombu, and cool completely to room temperature. Never introduce a yolk to warm liquid - it will scramble at the surface.

2. 2

   Separate the yolks with care, working one at a time into a small bowl before transferring. Roll each yolk gently onto a slotted spoon and let any clinging white slide off; residual white turns rubbery in the cure.

3. 3

   Lower the yolks into the cold marinade in a shallow container, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours. They will firm to the texture of a soft gel and take on a lacquered amber colour. Beyond 24 hours they turn salty and dense.

   
4. 4

   For the shallots, heat the neutral oil to 140°C in a small saucepan. Add the sliced shallots to the warm oil rather than hot - a slow start draws out moisture evenly and prevents scorched edges over raw centres.

5. 5

   Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots turn pale gold. Lift them out at least 30 seconds before they look done; residual heat carries them to deep amber on the paper towel. Salt immediately with the flaky sea salt.

   
6. 6

   Rinse the rice in three changes of cold water until it runs nearly clear, then cook by your usual method. Once tender, fold in the rice vinegar and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Brown the butter in a light-coloured pan over medium heat, swirling constantly. It will foam, quieten, then throw up a nutty scent as the milk solids toast to hazelnut brown at roughly 160°C. Pour it out at once, solids and all.

   
8. 8

   Fold two thirds of the brown butter through the warm rice, stirring only enough to coat each grain. Divide between two shallow bowls and press a shallow well into the centre of each.

9. 9

   Lift the cured yolks from the marinade with a slotted spoon, letting them drain for a moment, and set two into each well. Spoon the remaining brown butter around the rice.

   
10. 10

    Finish with the crisp shallots, sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve straight away and break the yolks at the table - they should run slow and thick, like warm honey, over the rice.