Urchin Butter

Here we are at the twenty-first installment of our 2026 Alphabet Challenge that was started by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. As in years past, we post every two weeks with a recipe inspired by a certain letter. It's like Sesame Street for grown ups! Can you believe we only have fa handful more letters to go this year! Here we are with the letter 'u'...

U is for...

• Fall Pear Ugly Duckling Cake (Cake Mix Recipe) by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

• Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Sourdough Discard Walnut Ginger Cookies by A Messy Kitchen

• Ugali - Savory Maize Meal Porridge by Food Lust People Love

• Unicorn Popcorn by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

• Unicorn Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies by Blogghetti

• Upvasacha Cake by Sneha’s Recipe

• Urchin Butter by Culinary Cam (you' re here)

• Uzbek Rice with Beef and Carrots (Plov) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

• White Urad Dal by Mayuri’s Jikoni

Urchin Butter

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You can see How to Clean Urchins in my post from last year. Same process except I didn't have R and C to do my work for me. I cleaned them myself for this recipe. I guess I might need to look for a different 'u' inspiration next year; I am getting predictable. We can't have that, now, can we?

Sea urchin butter is an incredibly versatile ingredient and can be easily stored in the freezer and used as you need it. Packed with umami, its the perfect substitute for regular butter in garlic prawns, mussels, or other seafood dishes. Its also delicious by itself spread on toast or crumpets. This recipe calls for 50 grams of sea urchin but add more if you like...or if you have it. Scale up!

Ingredients

• 250 grams salted butter

• 50 grams uni (cleaned sea urchin)

• zest of 1 lemon

• juice of 1/2 a lemon

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

• salt and pepper to taste

• Also needed: cracker or toasted baguette slices

Procedure

Leave the butter at room temperature to soften. Please the softened butter, uni, zest, and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer until smooth and well-combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the urchin butter into a serving dish; I used a cleaned out half urchin in this case. Or roll the butter into a blog using parchment paper. If you shape it, chill until ready to use.

The Previous Years' Offerings

My posts link to everyone else's. Enjoy exploring the alphabet through food.

• A Reclaimed Æbleskiver Pan + Æbleskiver Bread Pudding (2024), The Polarizing Anchovy + Egg Salad Niçoise (2025)

• Börek with a California Twist (2024), A Belated Birthday Bûche De Noël (Yule Log) (2025)

• Crab-Stuffed Ravioli (2024), Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cake (2025)

• Dark Chocolate-Juniper Panna Cotta (2024), Gluten-Free Crystal Dumplings in Noodle Soup  (2025)

• Elderflower & Roasted Strawberry Layer Cake (2024), A Dozen Eggs - Stuffed, Scotch, Curried, and More (2025)

• Fig Leaf-Wrapped Cheese (2025)

• Aïgo Bouido (Provençal Garlic Soup) (2024), Garlicky Fregola with Edamame, Mint, and Ricotta (2025)

• Halva with Fiori di Sicilia (2024), Huckleberry & Earl Grey Tea Cakes (2025)

• I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Saffron-Cardamom Ice Cream (2024), Es Teler (Indonesian Drunk Ice) (2025)

• Bulgogi-Inspired Oven Beef Jerky  (2024), Inspired by a One-Word Text: Jjamppong (2025)

• Purple Napa Kimchi  (2024), A Fruit Formerly Known as ‘Kaffir’ + Makrut-Kissed Cookies (2025)

• Lingcod Over Legumes  (2024), Enamored with Culinary Lavender: From Sips to Sweets (2025)

• Mushrooms in My Cookies? Yep. Candy Cap Cookies.  (2024), Mini Peach Galettes (2025)

• Nocino, Italian Green Walnut Liqueur  (2024), White Nectarine-Lime Jam (2025)

• How to Shuck Oysters and a Few Serving Ideas  (2024), Octopus: Takoyaki, a Japanese Snack Food, from a Santa Cruz Apartment (2025)

• A Parade of Pickles, Including Pickled Chard Stems (2024), Brunede Kartofler (Danish Caramel Potatoes) (2025)

• Quesabirria Tacos (2024), Quince Sharlotka (2025)

• Rose Petal-Strawberry Granita (2024), I missed 'R' but you can see everyone's post in Wendy's R is for Rustic Rye Sourdough Loaf (2025)

• Buttermilk Shortcakes with Macerated Berries (2024), Semifreddo al Miele (2025)

• Toasted Croutons (2024), Bitter Orange and Blackberry Thumbprint Cookies (2025)

• Curry Udon with Prawns (2024), Sea Urchin Crostini (and How to Clean Urchins) (2025)

That's a wrap for my 'u' offering for the Alphabet Challenge. Stay tuned for the letter 'v' in two weeks!