French Onion Crispy Rice

We all love the crispy rice at our favorite Japanese restaurants. Why not reimagine it? Let’s broaden our horizons; why just limit ourselves to raw fish? Enter the delicious world of braised meats. Slow-cooked short ribs are almost perfect on their own, and the textural component of the rice in this dish creates the perfect pair. Each bite gives you everything you want in food. The tender, succulent beef. The sweetness and umami from the French onion sauce. The crunch from the rice. The bitterness and acidity from the black garlic-wasabi aioli. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Recipe

Serves 2

BRAISED SHORT RIB

• 1 lb short ribs, bone in
• 6 c beef stock
• 2 medium onions
• 1 bulb garlic

1. Cut both onions into quarters, root to tip. Slice garlic through the middle, horizontally.
2. Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
3. Season short ribs lightly with salt (the sauce will have plenty of salt so don’t overdo it) and black pepper.
4. Sear short ribs on each side until golden brown. Remove, and add aromatics.
5. Once aromatics are nicely charred, add beef stock, then short ribs, ensuring they are nicely submerged (add water if needed).
6. Cover, throw into the oven. After an hour, reduce heat to 325ºF and cook an additional 3 hours.

Caramelized Onions

• 5 medium onions
• 1 tbsp each butter and olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 3 sprigs rosemary

1. Add olive oil, rosemary, and butter to a pan heated over medium high.
2. Once the butter starts to bubble, add onions. Salt the onions, mix to incorporate, and turn heat down to low. Cover, and let cook for one hour.
3. Turn heat back to medium, stirring occasionally until the onions are a deep brown. Remove the hard rosemary stems.

French Onion Topping

• 2 cups sliced
• 1/2 tbsp miso
• 1 tbsp cold butter

1. Remove any skins from onions and garlic reserved from the braised short ribs.
2. Blend all ingredients until mixture is perfectly smooth.
3. Shred/chop short ribs, add to a pan with the rest of the sauce. Stir to incorporate.

Crispy Rice

• 1 c sushi rice
• 1 c water
• 4-inch sheet of kombu
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Rinse and drain rice, repeating until water runs clear
2. Let rice sit in water for 20 minutes
3. Drain one last time, fill up with 1 c water, and set over stove on high. Once water comes to a boil, stir rice, add sheet of kombu. Cover with top, and simmer for 20 minutes
4. Meanwhile, over low heat, add rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to a saucepan, stirring until dissolved.
5. Once rice is cooked, stream in seasoned rice vinegar, gently folding the rice without smooshing. Cool the rice for about 20 min.
6. Line a tray with plastic wrap, fill tray with rice. Tightly pack to about 1.25 inch thick. Let sit in fridge for 4 hours.
7. Take rice out of the fridge and cut into desired shape. Heat oil to 375 and fry until both sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towel and immediately hit with a bit of salt.

Black Garlic-Wasabi Aioli

• 1/2 tbsp miso
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp wasabi
• 1 clove black garlic
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 c toasted sesame oil
• 1/3 c neutral oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Assembly

1. Take rice out of fridge. Wet a knife and slice into desired rectangle shape.
2. Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a pot to 375ºF. Fry rice in batches for about 4 minutes.
3. Top rice with short rib mixture, and garnish with fresno chili slices, and grated parmesan