Seppie al nero e bergamotto (Cuttlefish and bergamot)
- Starter
- Medium
- 4
- 1 hour 30 minutes
PT1H30M
Francesco Mazzei's striking seafood recipe is inspired by a local fishermen's privilege of eating the freshly caught cuttlefish raw, seasoned with bergamot, chilli and parsley to hide the pungent smell of the sea. This dish captures the essence of that tradition but in a much subtler way, using bergamot to add a delicate citrus note rather than drowning out the flavour of the pan-fried cuttlefish. If unsure, ask your fishmonger to help prepare the cuttlefish and ink sacs before cooking.
Ingredients
Cuttlefish and bergamot
- 2 cuttlefish, cleaned thoroughly
- 1 bergamot , grated zest and juice, plus extra zest to garnish
- 1 white onion , finely chopped, leaving a few rounds to garnish
- 1 red chilli , finely chopped
- 10 sage leaves , finely chopped
- 125ml of white wine
- 20g of flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Polenta
- 120g of polenta flour
- 500ml of fish stock
- salt
Method
1
First prepare the cuttlefish. Separate the tentacles from the main body by pulling them firmly away from each other. Remove and discard the head, eyes, beak and innards (reserving the ink sacs). Remove the hard quill from the main body and peel the skin away to leave the clean white flesh. Set the bodies and tentacles aside
- 2 cuttlefish, cleaned thoroughly
2
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Sweat the chopped onion, chilli and sage in the oil for a few minutes until softened
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion , finely chopped
- 1 red chilli , finely chopped
- 10 sage leaves , finely chopped
3
Add the reserved cuttlefish bodies and tentacles to the pan along with the wine and season well. Simmer until the liquid has reduced completely
- 125ml of white wine
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
4
Remove the cuttlefish and slice the body into fine strips, leaving the tentacles whole, then return to the pan with a tablespoon of the ink. Cover the pan and cook for 1 hour over a very low heat, checking the consistency occasionally and adding a little water to loosen if it seems too dry
5
Meanwhile, cook the polenta by placing the fish stock in a large pan and bringing to the boil over a medium heat. Season with salt, then slowly mix in the polenta flour until it starts to thicken. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook through for 45 minutes
- 500ml of fish stock
- salt
- 120g of polenta flour
6
Once the cuttlefish is cooked, stir through the chopped parsley and bergamot zest and juice
- 20g of flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped
- 1 bergamot , grated zest and juice
7
To serve, spoon the soft polenta into serving bowls and top with a mound of the black cuttlefish. Garnish with a little extra bergamot zest, a extra few rounds of onion and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
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Seppie al nero e bergamotto (Cuttlefish and bergamot)
