"Italian" Nigiri with salmon and Adamas Premium Beluga
15 July 2026Ingredients for 4 people
300g Carnaroli rice
200g salmon suitable for eating raw
Oil, salt
butter
Adamas Premium Beluga caviar
The term ‘nigiri’ derives from the Japanese verb ‘nigiru’, which means ‘to squeeze’ or ‘to shape by hand’. In Japanese cuisine, it refers to one of the most famous forms of sushi: a small portion of rice seasoned with vinegar, shaped by hand by the chef and topped with a thin slice of fish, shellfish or another ingredient. Its apparent simplicity belies a great deal of attention to the quality of the ingredients, the temperature of the rice, the texture and the balance between flavours and textures. Originating as a quick meal in 19th-century Tokyo, nigiri is now considered one of the most refined expressions of Japanese gastronomy, where technique, precision and sensitivity come together in a single mouthful. We have adapted it into an ‘Italian’ version, which does not imitate it but draws on the same idea of shaping cold rice.
We therefore prepared a proper risotto using Carnaroli rice and left it to cool in the fridge overnight. We shaped it into small balls. We sliced thin strips from a block of salmon prepared for sashimi and arranged them on top of the rice. We flambéed it generously, and finally we prepared quenelles of Premium Selection Beluga caviar, the pinnacle of flavour and quality.
Recipe by Stefano Caffarri
