1 kg (2.1/4 lb) small cuttlefish
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 small dried chillies
juice of 2 lemons
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre (1.3/4 pints) Fish Broth (see here)
75 g (3 oz) butter
400 g (14 oz) vialone nano rice
120 ml (4 fl oz) white wine, like Pinot Grigio
3 sachets squid or cuttlefish ink
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For six
Clean the cuttlefish by removing the blade-shaped bone and innards, reserving the ink sacs. Cut the tentacle clusters from the heads and discard the beak and any hard matter. Cut the body sacs lengthwise into strips.
Crush the ink sacs into a smooth paste in a pestle and mortar.
Using a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add half the chopped garlic. The moment the garlic begins to colour add the cuttlefish, dried chillies and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Put aside.
Heat the fish broth and check for seasoning.
Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan and fry the remaining garlic for 1 minute. Add the rice and continue to cook gently, stirring, until the rice is coated. Pour in the white wine and cook until it has been absorbed by the rice. Add a ladle of hot fish broth, stirring continually until it too has been absorbed. Continue to add more fish broth until the rice is al dente, then add the squid ink. When there is only one ladle of broth left, turn off the heat and add this remaining broth. Add the cuttlefish pieces, stir to combine totally with the risotto and scatter with the parsley.