Crni rižoto

Ingredients:

• 1 kg cuttlefish
• ½ cup of olive oil (about 1 dcl)
• a tomato or a large spoonful of tomato concentrate ( kunšerva)
• 1 large or 2 small heads of red onion ( capules )
• 4-5 cloves of garlic ( onion )
• salt, pepper, parsley
• 1 cup ( chikara ) of rice
• ½ cup of white wine (1 dcl)

Preparation:

Before preparing cuttlefish, carefully remove the bag with the ink, which we store in a cup, remove the central bone and the dark skin, then wash and dry well and cut into smaller pieces (about 1 cm). Fry the onion in olive oil in a wide pan ( teću ), and after it softens, add finely chopped garlic and parsley and fry very briefly. Add pieces of cuttlefish, salt and sauté briefly, and add very finely sliced peeled tomatoes or concentrate ( kunšerva ) mixed in a little water.

Add 1 dl of white wine and water to cover the meat (not too much) and simmer until the cuttlefish is half soft, then add the cleaned and washed rice and steam a little “dry”. Gradually add the strained fish and vegetable soups (maybe water) with occasional stirring until the rice is soft, but it must not be overcooked.

At the end, add the cuttlefish, mix well and let it boil for a little while longer, turn off the heat and let it stand a little longer so that the flavors can permeate.

Remark:

Black risotto is a typical Mediterranean dish that was prepared all over the Adriatic. It used to be a difficult dish, but today it is an indispensable appetizer in the traditional cuisine of most places in Zadar County. The recipe is mostly similar, the variations mostly refer to the addition of fish or vegetable stock, or red instead of white wine, or in some places even prosecco. Traditionally, black risotto was not served with Parmesan cheese (or any other grated cheese) as it is often done today.