Black Rice with Sausage & Shrimp

I’ve always loved the toothsome flavorful riso nero of Venice. With a lovely nuttiness and slightly sweet finish, the rice works just as well in a summer salad as it does in a risotto. But I think it’s at its best when paired with strong flavors, flavors that would overpower a more delicate rice. Garrison Price, our chef at il Buco Alimentari from 2017 to 2019, first came up with this dish. What I love about it is how the sea flavor of the shrimp, the spice of the Calabrian sausage, and the creaminess of the egg yolk play with the nuttiness of the rice. Something about the combination of these ingredients with the addition of leeks lends an Asian timbre to this dish, but I assure you it’s fully Mediterranean. It’s not something I ever would have thought of, but as soon as we put it on the menu, it became a best seller. And it still is.

Serves 4

4 large egg yolks

1½ tablespoons fine sea salt, plus additional to taste

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 medium leek, cleaned

1½ cups Venetian black rice

¼ pound fennel sausage (for homemade, see here)

½ pound (16/20 count per pound) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1 teaspoon chopped Calabrian chili (about 1 chili)

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon minced chives

1. Cure the egg yolks: In a medium bowl, dissolve salt into 1 quart of water. Gently place the egg yolks in the bowl of salt water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Gently remove the yolks and place them into another small bowl; carefully cover the yolks with 1 cup of olive oil.

2. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the leek, blanch for 2 minutes, then remove and pat dry. Trim away the ends and the dark green parts and discard (or reserve for a future use). Thinly slice the white and light green parts and set them aside.

3. In the same water, add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Strain and let cool.

4. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove the sausage from its casing, crumble, and add to the pan. Breaking it up with a spoon, flatten the meat out so it gets crispy. Once the sausage begins to brown, after 3 to 5 minutes, stir in the sliced leeks, shrimp, and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Stir in the cooked rice, tossing to coat it. Gently stir in the tomato puree and finally the chili and parsley.

6. To serve, divide the rice evenly among four serving dishes. Remove the egg yolks from the oil with a slotted spoon and add to the top of each dish. Sprinkle with chives.