Squink Risotto

Name: Squink Risotto
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 1 handful Small chopped fresh parsley (approx. 2 tablespoons); 1 clove garlic, peeled; 2 Tbsps regular olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons; 2 servings Pepper to taste; 1 fresh red or green chile, seeded and finely chopped; 118 milliliters red wine; 296 milliliters risotto rice; 6 scallions, thinly sliced; 227 grams (cleaned weight) baby squid, optional; 2 sachets squid ink; 946 milliliters vegetable broth (can, carton, or cube is fine), preferably organic

Squink Risotto might be a good recipe to expand your main course collection. This recipe serves 2. One serving contains 777 calories, 27g of protein, and 16g of fat. This recipe covers 40% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine. It is a good option if you're following a dairy free and pescatarian diet. A mixture of pepper, sachets squid ink, scallions, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so tasty. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert.

Instructions

I have said that I usually use white wine or dry white Vermouth in a risotto, but I must concede that the recipes here don't appear to bear this out. I've got an excuse with this one, too: the whole point of this risotto is that it's black, tinted by the squid ink (the squink of my title) and I had no desire to lessen its impact with some pallid white wine. But it's not just a question of colour: the squid ink is so richly, headily flavored that nothing less than a robust red would stand up to it.

Ingredients you will need

White Wine

Vermouth

Squid

As strange as it might sound for so exotic a dish, this may even pass muster as a storecupboard standby. The rice, the broth and the squid ink (it comes in sachets, from a good fishmonger or Italian deli, or online source) can be kept easily. I have marked the squid-ring topping as optional, but even that can live in the freezer for a few months.

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Squid

Rice

While I am more than happy to eat it plain black, I can't help feeling cheered by the jaunty tricolore adornment provided by the squid rings, red chile pepper and parsley. Not that I'm being cheered is altogether the point of such a beautiful, sombre dish, the perfect date meal for Goths.

Ingredients you will need

Red Chili Pepper

Parsley

Squid

Dates

Cut the squid (if using) into thin rings and set aside while you get on with the risotto.

Ingredients you will need

Squid

Heat the broth until almost boiling, and keep the broth warm in a saucepan on the lowest heat

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Warm the 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and soften the sliced scallions for 2 minutes on a low heat. Keep stirring and don't let them burn. Grate in the garlic and turn up the heat. Toss in the rice and turn it in the oil and so it is slicked and shiny.

Ingredients you will need

Green Onions

Garlic

Rice

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Pour in the red wine and let it bubble up over the rice.

Ingredients you will need

Red Wine

Rice

Wearing disposable vinyl gloves, snip in the squid ink and carefully dunk the squeezed out sachets into the separate pan of hot broth to get out any remaining ink. Then add and keep adding ladlefuls of hot broth to the rice, letting one ladleful be absorbed before adding the next, stirring all the while.

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Squid

Rice

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

When the rice has had 15 minutes, you can be less assiduous on the stirring front and get on with the squid, if you're using this. In a frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil and the chile, until sizzling, then add the squid rings and cook, stirring or shaking the pan a little, for 3 minutes. Season with ground pepper, to taste.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Chili Pepper

Squid

Rice

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

By this time, the black risotto should be ready, so divide it between warmed shallow bowls or plates, top with chile and squid, if using, and scatter with parsley.

Ingredients you will need

Parsley

Chili Pepper

Squid

Equipment you will use

Bowl