ΒΑΘΜΟΣ ΔΥΣΚΟΛΙΑΣ
εύκολο
ΧΡΟΝΟΣ
30'
ΑΤΟΜΑ
4
ΥΛΙΚΑ
- 280 g rice for risotto
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 1 kg fresh cuttlefish, cleaned
- 50 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
- 1 liter hot fish stock
Περιγραφή
Cuttlefish and cuttlefish pilaf are a whole story in themselves. The pots they are cooked in end up looking like black-figure vases. Because the ink is the very essence of this dish. The soft body of the cuttlefish is a sack that rests on the cuttlebone, its spine. From this sack protrudes its head with the tentacles, eyes and mouth. Deep inside is the little pouch of ink that is so precious for our dish. The pouch is found at the end of the head system, together with the “pre-ink”, a thick brown liquid that can add flavor to our food and is used along with the ink. Cuttlefish are not cooked with clean hands, but with “smudged” ones, from the moment they are cleaned, which means very careful removal of the ink sack and the cuttlebone. The ink was never something to throw away. Perhaps, before it existed as a flavor enhancer in food, it was originally an important tool of artistic expression and, later, of writing. Inside the cup from the Neopalatial period of Minoan civilization (1600–1500 BC), exhibited at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, there is an inscription written with cuttlefish ink, in Linear A. In contrast with the cuttlebone, which in the eyes of children was pure white and translucent, an ideal little boat for small and great voyages, set in motion by the gull’s feather pinned to its back.
Εκτέλεση
For the cuttlefish ink risotto, start by washing the cuttlefish very thoroughly and cutting them into short, thin strips. Salt them and place them in a colander for 10 minutes. In a wide pot, heat half the olive oil over low heat and sauté the onion with the garlic for 2–3 minutes, until they soften. Add the chopped cuttlefish and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the rice and stir for 2–3 minutes, until the grains shine nicely and turn translucent. Deglaze with the wine and immediately add the ink. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the alcohol evaporates, stirring regularly. Add the hot fish stock in batches and prepare the risotto. Remove the pot from the heat and add the parsley, the lemon zest, the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir, let the risotto “rest” for 2–3 minutes, and serve. (To make sure the “pouches” of ink from the fresh cuttlefish break up completely and don’t leave small lumps, blitz them in the blender with a little of the wine from the recipe.)