Onigiri with Fermented Black Bean Sauce & Clams

Who: Greg Proechel, Head Chef of Ferris at The MADE Hotel

Instagram: @TheChefGreg + @FerrisNewYork

Chef Proechel’s Guest-Worthy Recipe: Onigiri with Fermented Black Bean Sauce & Clams

Why?

This is a perfect dish for a dinner party because it’s very easy to bring together and any allergies can be easily addressed. Not only are the flavors very strong and present, it’s a play on some familiar flavors with the black beans and clams.

I like the fact that you can play around with different shapes of the onigiri and if you don’t have a grill, serving the rice warm and seasoned can be a fun way to eat this with your hands, simply taking a piece of rice and grabbing the snap pea sauté and eating it inside or outside.

This is also great because it’s just as delicious cold as it is warm and still keeps all the texture I love from the snap peas which helps take off the pressure of making sure everything is ready at the same time.

Ingredients:

For the Onigiri:

Sushi Rice

Sushi Rice Vinegar (seasoned vinegar you can buy at any grocery store)

For the Fermented Black Bean Sauce with Clams and Snap Peas

1/2 c black bean sauce (I would recommend Lao Ganma brand)

12 pcs clams, scrubbed and purged in salt water

1/2 c white wine

1 c snap peas, sliced lengthwise and blanched for five seconds and shocked in ice water

Fresh pear, small diced in acidulated water

Butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (knob)

Directions:

For the Onigiri:

Using a rice cooker, cook the sushi rice per the manufacturer’s instruction and once ready, wash with sushi rice vinegar while still warm and form into any shape you wish. Let rest at room temperature.

For the Fermented Black Bean Sauce with Clams and Snap Peas

Place the clams in a small pot with the wine and cover with a lid.

Cook on low heat until the clams just open up and remove from the pot and take the clams out of the shells and place in the clam stock you made in the pot with the wine.

Once your grill is ready, grill the onigiri on both sides until lightly browned and creamy on the inside.

Heat a large sauté pan and add the black bean sauce, clam stock with clams, and two knobs of butter. Bring to a boil and right before serving, add in the blanched snap peas and pears. Toss until combined and lightly warmed.

Plate any way you wish. The rice can easily be served on the side and used to grab the sauté similar to the way you would with a lettuce wrap.