“Italianized” salmon and shrimp sushi

The slight note of oil and lemon brings the organoleptic profile closer to the Italian flavor without covering the fish aromas. Flavoriness and acidity of the wine clean the fatty component and enhance the natural sweetness of salmon and shrimp.

Ingredients for 2 persons:

• 250 g sushi rice
• 300 ml water
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 150 g downed salmon (sashimi quality)
• 100 g raw culled shrimp (shelled and cleaned)
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cucumber
• untreated lemon peel (optional)
• 2 sheets nori seaweed
• extra virgin olive oil (very few drops)
• soy sauce
• wasabi (optional)

Procedure

Rice

Rinse rice until water is clear. Cook in water covered, over low heat, about 12 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes with the heat off.

Dissolve sugar and salt in warm vinegar. Add to rice and stir gently. Allow to cool to room temperature

The fish

Cut salmon into strips (for maki) and thin slices (for nigiri).

Lightly carve the shrimp into the book or leave them whole.

Season very lightly with a drop of oil and, if liked, minimal lemon zest.

Vegetables

Cut avocado and cucumber into regular sticks.

Forming maki

Place the nori seaweed on a sheet of baking paper. Spread a thin layer of rice, leaving 1 cm free at the top edge.

Arrange salmon or shrimp with avocado or cucumber as filling. Roll up tightly.

Cut into 6-8 pieces with a wet blade

Forming the nigiri

Shape small ovals of rice with damp hands. Lay salmon or shrimp on top. Press gently to adhere

Service

Arrange on a cold plate and serve with immediately with soy sauce on the side.

If liked, add wasabi.

Practice Notes:

• The critical point is the rice: it should be neither sticky nor dry
• Use safe fish (slaughtered or certified for raw consumption)
• Hands always slightly wet to work the rice

In the glass, chosen by Stefania Vinciguerra

Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze La Rivetta Brut 2024 Villa Sandi

Light yellow, fine and continuous perlage. Very typical, fragrant, with scents of wisteria flowers and white peach. Taut, snappy, fresh, very pleasant flavor.

Production area: small Docg hillside area of about 106 hectares of vineyards between the hamlets of Santo Stefano and S. Pietro di Barbozza in the municipality of Valdobbiadene. A real cru that comes from a perfect combination of a gentle microclimate and a very ancient soil with moraines, sandstones and clays.

Grape varieties: 100% Glera. Double inverted training system with 2500 vines per hectare. Maximum yield per hectare 120 quintals of grapes.

Harvest: Second decade of September.

Production processes: The whole grapes are introduced into the pneumatic press, and the must obtained from their soft pressing, after an initial racking, is placed in temperature-controlled tanks, where it remains until it is used for the production of sparkling wine.
The must, added with yeasts selected by Villa Sandi, is placed in thermoconditioned vessels where fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 15-16°C. In this way, all the aromas of the harvest are enhanced. Having reached the desired alcohol content and sugar content, through refrigeration the fermentation is stopped and, after a short period of rest, the sparkling wine is ready for bottling.

Alcohol content: 11% vol.

Serving temperature: 6-8°C

Recommended pairings: pliant sparkling wine that can just as casually open and close a pleasant evening at the table. Ideal with marinated rockfish or salmon tartare. It can accompany moderately sweet leavened desserts.