Bonito and Black Pepper–Cured Egg Yolks
By Tim ChinPublished on February 28, 2017
Yield
12 yolks
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Bonito flakes are the dried shavings of a skipjack tuna filet that has been steamed, dried, smoked, and cured in a process than can take up to 6 months. A traditional Japanese preparation, bonito flakes are one of the 2 primary ingredients in dashi broth (the other ingredient is kombu) where they add savory depth thanks their high glutamic acid content. Bonito flakes can be purchased in well-stocked grocery stores or online. Freeze those extra whites in an ice cube tray and you’ll always be minutes away from a great Whiskey Sour.
Instructions
- Pulse salt, sugar, pepper, and bonito flakes in food processor until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 14 pulses. (Alternatively, ingredients can be processed in blender on high speed until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 30 seconds.) Transfer 14 ounces salt mixture to 8-inch square baking pan and shake pan to create even layer. Using whole, in-shell egg, make 12 evenly spaced ¼-inch-deep indentations in salt bed by pressing bottom of egg gently into salt mixture.
- Working with 1 egg at a time, crack eggs, separate yolks from whites, and transfer yolks to indentations in salt bed. Carefully pour remaining salt mixture evenly over yolks. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until yolks are firm and dry throughout, 6 to 7 days.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Fill medium bowl with cool water. Remove yolks from salt mixture, brushing off excess, and rinse gently in water. Pat yolks dry with paper towels and transfer to wire rack. Transfer sheet to oven and bake until exteriors of yolks are dry to touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Grate or thinly slice yolks and sprinkle on your favorite dishes, from pasta and risotto to roasted vegetables and buttered toast. (Cured yolks can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)
Yield
12 yolksIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
The process of turning bland raw egg yolks into savory, grate-able cured yolks couldn’t be simpler: Separate yolks, pack in salt and seasonings, wait, rinse, dry in the oven, and use. Adding savory bonito flakes and plenty of spicy black pepper to our classic Salt-Cured Egg Yolks recipe elevates these cured yolks to luxurious levels. Bonito flakes, one of the two primary ingredients in Japanese dashi broth, pack these yolks with supersavory glutamic acid, boosting them pretty high up on the umami scale. Just as with an aged hard cheese, grating these yolks on top of soups, salads, pastas, and meats quickly adds seasoning and umami.
Photography by Steve Klise
Food Styling by Kendra McKnight
Before You Begin
Bonito flakes are the dried shavings of a skipjack tuna filet that has been steamed, dried, smoked, and cured in a process than can take up to 6 months. A traditional Japanese preparation, bonito flakes are one of the 2 primary ingredients in dashi broth (the other ingredient is kombu) where they add savory depth thanks their high glutamic acid content. Bonito flakes can be purchased in well-stocked grocery stores or online. Freeze those extra whites in an ice cube tray and you’ll always be minutes away from a great Whiskey Sour.
Instructions
- Pulse salt, sugar, pepper, and bonito flakes in food processor until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 14 pulses. (Alternatively, ingredients can be processed in blender on high speed until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 30 seconds.) Transfer 14 ounces salt mixture to 8-inch square baking pan and shake pan to create even layer. Using whole, in-shell egg, make 12 evenly spaced ¼-inch-deep indentations in salt bed by pressing bottom of egg gently into salt mixture.
- Working with 1 egg at a time, crack eggs, separate yolks from whites, and transfer yolks to indentations in salt bed. Carefully pour remaining salt mixture evenly over yolks. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until yolks are firm and dry throughout, 6 to 7 days.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Fill medium bowl with cool water. Remove yolks from salt mixture, brushing off excess, and rinse gently in water. Pat yolks dry with paper towels and transfer to wire rack. Transfer sheet to oven and bake until exteriors of yolks are dry to touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Grate or thinly slice yolks and sprinkle on your favorite dishes, from pasta and risotto to roasted vegetables and buttered toast. (Cured yolks can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)
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