Fresh Seppie Risotto

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons cuttlefish ink
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 pound (2 cups) Arborio rice
6 cups fish stock
2 pounds cleaned cuttlefish, cut into rings
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and 1 tablespoon of the cuttlefish ink. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring. Sauté until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Start to slowly add the stock, stirring constantly, allowing the stock to absorb after each addition.

Season the cuttlefish with salt and pepper. To a hot sauté pan, add olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the remaining tablespoon of cuttlefish ink and the cuttlefish and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir half of the cuttlefish into the risotto. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese and parsley and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.

Spoon the risotto in the center of each shallow bowl. Top with the remaining cuttlefish. Garnish with parsley.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings