Seppie al nero: Common Cuttlefish Braised in Its Ink with Creamy Polenta (Venetian Tradition)

Ingredients

• 800 g common cuttlefish (cleaned, ready to cook)
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 200 ml dry white wine (e.g., Soave)
• 20 g cuttlefish ink (sachets)
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper
• 250 g cornmeal for polenta (medium grind)
• 1 l water
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 50 g grated Parmesan (Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano)

Method

1. Prepare the cuttlefish: if whole, clean them by removing the thin skin, eyes, beak, and internal quill. Carefully remove and set aside the ink sacs. Cut the bodies into rings about 1 cm thick and the tentacles into pieces. If using pre-cleaned cuttlefish, rinse and cut them the same way.
2. Finely slice the onion. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife. Finely chop the parsley and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan (or Dutch oven). Add the onion and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent but not colored.
4. Add the cuttlefish pieces to the pan. Increase the heat to high and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the pieces are lightly browned at the edges.
5. Pour in the white wine. Boil for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol, then add the cuttlefish ink (if using a sachet, dilute it in 2 tablespoons of warm water before adding). Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly and the cuttlefish should be tender (check with the tip of a knife).
6. While the cuttlefish cooks, prepare the polenta: bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to very low and cook the polenta at a very gentle boil for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes with a wooden spoon. It should pull away from the sides of the pan and be smooth and creamy.
7. At the end of the polenta's cooking time, stir in the butter and grated Parmesan. Mix well until melted. Adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary.
8. Adjust the seasoning of the cuttlefish and its sauce. Serve the polenta in shallow bowls, top with the cuttlefish pieces, and spoon the black sauce generously over them. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Enjoy immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

704.3 kcal

Protein

41.17 g

Carbohydrate

53.06 g

Fat

32.51 g

Fibre

2.04 g

Calcium

87.22 mg

Iron

6.51 mg

Magnesium

88.2 mg