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Overhead view of glossy black risotto al nero di seppia in a wide bowl with a lemon wedge and scattered parsley on a dark table

Risotto al Nero di Seppia with Cuttlefish and Wine

A Venetian squid-ink risotto with cuttlefish, white wine, and a mantecatura finish of cold butter and parsley.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Primo
Cuisine: Italian (Venetian)
Calories: 472
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped soffritto base
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400 g cuttlefish, cleaned and cut into thin strips or substitute squid
  • 3 squid ink sachets (about 12 g); found near the fresh fish counter
  • 320 g carnaroli or arborio rice
  • 120 ml dry white wine
  • 1.2 liters fish stock, hot kept at a bare simmer
  • 30 g cold butter, cubed for the mantecatura
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 lemon wedges to serve

Method
 

  1. Pour the fish stock into a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over low heat. Keep it warm on the back burner while you cook.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch risotto pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent.
  3. Add the cuttlefish strips and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until just opaque. Season with a pinch of salt.
  4. Add the rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the edges of the grains look glassy.
  5. Pour in the white wine and stir until it's fully absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add a ladle of hot stock, stirring until absorbed before adding the next. Repeat this for about 8 minutes.
  7. Once the pot is hot and steady, stir the squid ink into the next ladle of stock before adding it, mixing until the rice turns evenly black.
  8. Keep adding stock one ladle at a time, stirring often, for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the rice is al dente and the mixture is loose enough to spread slowly across the plate when you tilt it.
  9. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cold butter and parsley until glossy, then cover and rest 1 minute.
  10. Spoon onto warm plates and serve with lemon wedges and a crack of black pepper.

Notes

  • Keep the stock at a bare simmer the whole time, never a rolling boil.
  • Add squid ink after the second ladle of stock, once the pot is hot.
  • Cut cuttlefish into strips no thicker than 1 cm for even cooking.
  • Rest the finished risotto 1 minute off heat before plating.