Risotto al Nero di Seppia
A velvety Venetian lagoon risotto cooked with tender cuttlefish and stained pitch-black with its natural ink. In Venetian dialect, it is called risoto col nero de sepa.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 510 kcal
Equipment
- •Large wide saucepan or sauté pan
- •Medium stockpot
- •Ladle
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 510 kcal
Instructions
- 1
If using whole cuttlefish, extract the silvery ink sacs carefully into a small bowl with two tablespoons of warm water.
- 2
Bring the fish stock to a gentle simmer in a separate pot and keep warm over low heat.
- 3
Heat half the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat and gently sweat the chopped onion until soft.
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic and cuttlefish strips, cooking for three minutes until the flesh turns bright opaque white.
- 5
Pour in half the white wine and simmer until the liquid cooks away completely.
- 6
Dissolve the cuttlefish ink in the pan, stirring until the seafood is coated in an intense black sauce.
- 7
Add the rice to the pan and stir for two minutes until the grains are coated and lightly toasted.
- 8
Pour in the remaining white wine and stir until fully absorbed by the rice.
- 9
Add the hot fish stock one ladle at a time, stirring regularly as each addition is absorbed.
- 10
Cook for fifteen to sixteen minutes until the rice is tender but firm to the bite.
- 11
Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and beat in the remaining olive oil vigorously.
- 12
Stir in the chopped parsley, let the risotto rest for one minute, and serve fluid and wavy.
Chef's tips
If using fresh ink sacs, pierce them inside a small bowl of warm broth with a toothpick to avoid accidental splatters. Traditional Venetian seafood risotto is never served with grated cheese, as dairy masks the sweet salinity of lagoon cuttlefish.
Ingredient substitutions
- Fresh cuttlefish ink sacs → two sachets (about 8 g total) of commercial jarred cuttlefish ink
- Vialone Nano rice → Carnaroli rice, which yields an equally creamy texture
Storage
Best eaten fresh from the pan; leftovers can be chilled in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of hot water or fish broth until loose.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding grated parmesan cheese at the end, which overpowers the delicate oceanic flavour of the cuttlefish.
- •Letting the risotto dry out into a stiff mound rather than keeping it fluid and wave-like (all'onda).
- •Boiling the cuttlefish over aggressive heat, which can make the meat tough and rubbery.
Serving suggestions
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