Crni Rižot
Risotto cooked with cuttlefish and its own ink, turning the rice a deep black. Finished simply with olive oil and parsley.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 35 min
- total
- 55 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Crni rižot, black risotto, is the dish that announces the Adriatic coast on a plate: cuttlefish cooked down with its own ink until the rice turns a deep, glossy black.
It looks dramatic and tastes like the sea, briny and rich, and it needs almost nothing beyond olive oil and parsley to finish it.
Part of our 20 best Croatian recipes list.
method
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan. Soften the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add the cuttlefish pieces and cook for 5 minutes, until opaque.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the rice, stirring to coat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and let it mostly evaporate.
Stir in the cuttlefish ink until the rice turns black.
Add the warm stock a ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting for each addition to absorb before adding more. Continue for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and creamy.
Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley.
Serve immediately, drizzled with a little more olive oil, with lemon wedges.
chef's tips
- Cuttlefish ink is sold in small sachets at good fishmongers, and it's the easiest way to get a reliably black risotto without cleaning fresh ink sacs yourself.
- Keep the stock warm on a low simmer next to the risotto pan. Cold stock slows the cooking and makes the texture uneven.
- The risotto should be creamy and just loose enough to spread slightly on the plate, not stiff. Add a splash more warm stock at the end if it looks too thick.
- No cheese goes on this one. The ink and the sea do the flavoring, and cheese would fight with the seafood.