Seppie in Nero con Polenta

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 4-quart braising pan or Dutch oven
• •Heavy 4-quart pot for polenta
• •Wooden spoon
• •Whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the cuttlefish

   If your fishmonger has not cleaned the cuttlefish, you must do it yourself. Pull the head and tentacles from the body. Remove and reserve the silvery ink sac, being careful not to puncture it. Discard the cuttlebone, the beak, and the innards. Rinse the body and tentacles thoroughly under cold water. Cut the body into strips roughly half an inch wide and two inches long. Cut the tentacles into manageable pieces.

   A good fishmonger will clean the cuttlefish and save the ink sacs for you. Ask. If they look at you blankly, find a better fishmonger or buy packets of ink.
2. 2

   Build the base

   In a heavy braising pan or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent and soft, about 12 minutes. It must not brown. Add the sliced garlic and cook one minute more, just until fragrant. The garlic must stay pale.

3. 3

   Add the cuttlefish

   Add all the cuttlefish to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces turn opaque and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. The pan will become wet. This is correct. Continue cooking until most of this liquid evaporates.

4. 4

   Add wine and tomatoes

   Pour in the white wine. Let it bubble vigorously until the alcohol smell disappears and the wine reduces by half, about 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the fish stock. Stir well. The mixture should just cover the cuttlefish. Add a splash more water if needed.

5. 5

   Add the ink

   If using fresh ink sacs, puncture them into a small bowl and dilute with two tablespoons of the cooking liquid. If using packets, squeeze them into the bowl and dilute the same way. Stir the ink mixture into the pan. The sauce will turn dramatically black. This is the moment the dish becomes Venetian.

   The ink adds both color and a subtle briny depth. Do not be timid. The darkness is the point.
6. 6

   Braise slowly

   Reduce the heat to low. The sauce should simmer gently, with only occasional bubbles breaking the surface. Cover the pan partially and braise until the cuttlefish is completely tender, about one hour. Stir every 15 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken. If it becomes too thick before the cuttlefish is tender, add a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper when nearly done.

   Cuttlefish is tender, then tough, then tender again. The first tenderness is false. You must braise through the tough stage until it surrenders completely. Test with a fork. It should offer no resistance.
7. 7

   Make the polenta

   About 45 minutes before serving, bring eight cups of water to a boil in a heavy pot. Add two teaspoons of salt. Reduce heat until the water barely simmers. Pour the polenta into the water in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking for the first two minutes.

8. 8

   Cook the polenta properly

   Reduce heat to the lowest setting. The polenta should bubble lazily, like volcanic mud. Stir every 5 to 10 minutes with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and sides. Cook for at least 40 minutes, longer if you have patience. The polenta is done when it pulls away from the sides of the pot and has lost all trace of graininess on the tongue.

   Instant polenta is not polenta. It is a convenience that sacrifices everything that makes polenta worth eating. Use coarse-ground cornmeal and give it the time it demands.
9. 9

   Finish the polenta

   Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the butter until it melts completely, then fold in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. The polenta should be soft and flowing, not stiff. If it has thickened too much, stir in a splash of hot water. Taste for salt.

10. 10

    Serve immediately

    Spoon a generous bed of soft polenta into each warm bowl. Ladle the ink-black cuttlefish and its sauce over and around the polenta. The contrast of gold and black is the beauty of this dish. Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Serve at once. The polenta waits for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Buy your cuttlefish from a fishmonger who sells whole specimens with ink sacs intact. The ink sacs look like small silver pouches near the head. Handle them gently until you're ready to use them.
• •If fresh ink sacs are unavailable, packets of cuttlefish or squid ink work adequately. Look for them at Italian specialty stores or order them online. One packet typically contains 4 grams.
• •The polenta must be soft, almost pourable. Venetians serve it this way, not in firm slices. If your polenta becomes too stiff, beat in hot water a tablespoon at a time until it flows again.
• •This dish stains. Your wooden spoon will turn black, your towels may never recover, and if you splatter your shirt, consider it a souvenir. Cook with appropriate caution.

Advance Preparation

• •The cuttlefish in ink can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. The flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
• •The polenta must be made fresh. It cannot be reheated successfully without losing its texture. Time your cooking so the polenta finishes just as you are ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)