Recipe risotto with cuttlefish ink: a perfect couple for an excellent result
It seems that rice and black get along particularly well with each other; In fact, in nature there is a quality of rice of this color, much appreciated for its delicate flavor and chewy consistency, but also for its nutritional characteristics.
Black rice (also called “forbidden” rice) is rich in fiber and mineral salts, which make it a healthy food and recommended even for those who are intolerant or allergic to gluten.
But there is another relationship that unites this cereal to the black color and depends on a gastronomic reason well rooted in the Italian culinary tradition. The best known black rice is in fact the one seasoned with cuttlefish ink.
This combination is used in many recipes typical of different areas of our country and usually very appreciated.
The color is given by the substance produced by cuttlefish or squid which, added to rice, makes it dark and gives it a salty and sweetish taste at the same time.
Cuttlefish ink can be purchased as a liquid, in a jar or in plastic bags , or in powder; The latter, however, does not have an intense flavor like the liquid version. In Venice, the recipe for squid ink risotto has been part of the city’s gastronomic tradition for a long time.
Black rice, initially white, changes color when dipped in cuttlefish ink. Some historians of gastronomy claim that the dish originates from the Venetian capital and agree that the recipe for risotto with cuttlefish ink conforms to a fundamental premise that is the basis of Italian cuisine: never waste even the smallest part of what nature offers us.
In Italy most versions of risotto with cuttlefish ink are prepared with cuttlefish, instead of squid, as happens in other countries such as Spain. The smaller specimens are considered the most valuable because, as professional cooks explain, they remain close to the ocean floor and therefore have fewer opportunities to spray their ink against predators.
Most admirers of black risotto confess a certain initial distrust ; For some people the idea of eating a squid ink risotto does not immediately make your mouth water, but usually the first taste is enough to change your mind …
Recipe risotto with cuttlefish ink: what you need to know to prepare it perfectly
The usual ingredients are short-grain white rice, dry white wine, olive oil, chopped onion, bay leaf and garlic, freshly ground salt and pepper, fish broth, cuttlefish cut into small pieces and ink from their bags.
The typical recipe of risotto with cuttlefish ink from Venice, has as its peculiarity the creaming in fish broth, while in other regions this procedure is performed with butter.
The first precaution to follow is the choice of rice; Being the base of the dish it is important to focus on quality; we tried the recipe with various types of rice purchased online and we can say that the best result we got with DF Gourmet products and in this case with Carnaroli Gran Riserva Bormioli rice.
So we come to the recipe and ingredients that requires for 4 people:
- 320 gr of rice
- 500 gr of cuttlefish
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 1 glass of white wine
- 500 ml fish stock
- 1 bay leaf
- chopped parsley
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation of risotto with cuttlefish ink:
First of all, clean the cuttlefish by removing the eyes, skin, mouth and entrails, being careful not to break the ink bag and keep it aside. Once cleaned, wash the cuttlefish with running water and cut them into strips.
Clean the onion and garlic; Chop the onion into thin strips and fry it in a pan with oil and a clove of garlic cut in half. When the onion is golden, remove the clove of garlic and add the cuttlefish in strips together with the bay leaf, blending over medium heat with a little white wine.
Add salt and pepper to your liking and pour the cuttlefish ink, leaving to cook for 20 minutes.
Then add the rice, frying it for a couple of minutes over high heat and stirring continuously so as not to make it stick.
Pour the wine and let the alcohol evaporate a little, then cover everything with the hot broth and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add more broth when you see that it evaporates excessively and continue cooking until the rice reaches the point you want.
At this point you are ready to serve it to your diners who will like it 100%.
As you can see, the recipe for squid ink risotto is a very simple recipe, but it is important to use quality ingredients and above all a good rice that keeps cooking well without becoming soft and sticky, as happens when using poor brands.
