Serves 6
Notes
I often ate cuttlefish as a child. It is not usually seen on menus in America, although it is becoming more and more prevalent, and this is a wonderful way to prepare it. Cuttlefish is in the same family as octopus and calamari, and is cooked in much the same fashion. It can be fried, made into a sauce or brodetto, or boiled and made into a salad. I love it in all these preparations, but I love it most dressed as a salad with potatoes. When the cuttlefish are small, I leave them whole. The cuttlefish has a wide, chalky backbone; this is removed when the fish is cleaned, which turns it into a small pocket when cooked. In this case, I make the potato salad separately and use it to stuff the cooked fish. This makes a great presentation, but if you can only get large cuttlefish, boil them, cut them into strips like French fries, and toss them together with the potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small cuttlefish, cleaned, beaks removed (about 8 pieces)
- 3 stalks young celery, trimmed, sliced (reserve the trimmings)
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 medium russet potatoes
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup pitted Gaeta olives
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes
Directions
Place the cleaned cuttlefish, celery trimmings, and bay leaves in a pot with water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat so the water is simmering gently. Cook until the cuttlefish is tender but still slightly al dente, about 15 minutes. (Poke it with a fork; if the cuttlefish is cooked, the fork will penetrate easily.) Drain the cuttlefish, and let them cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a second pot, cover the potatoes with cold water and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool until you can handle them; then peel and cube them. Add them to a serving bowl with the sliced celery, red onion, and olives. Drizzle everything with 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar, and add the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and the peperoncino. Toss well.
Put the cuttlefish in a second bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat the cuttlefish.
Spoon some of the potato mixture into the cavity of each cuttlefish, and arrange them in a circle on a large platter. Spoon the rest of the potato mixture into the center of the platter. Serve immediately.
