INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of saffron
- Pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne
- 1 pound squid, bodies cleaned and cut into 1/8-inch slices, tentacles halved
- ½ cup chopped tomato, canned or fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons squid ink (sometimes sold as cuttlefish ink)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 4 cups unsalted fish, chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
COOKING DIRECTIONS
- Put olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and barely colored, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add garlic, saffron and red pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add squid bodies and tentacles, stir well to coat and season with salt. Add tomato, bay leaf and 1/4 cup white wine. Add 1 cup water and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in squid ink. Simmer for 10 minutes more, until squid is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice, stir to coat, and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Keeping heat brisk, add remaining 1/4 cup wine and 2 cups of the broth and simmer, stirring, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add another cup broth and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the last cup of broth and all of the squid mixture. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes more, until rice is just done. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add a little more broth, as necessary, to keep rice moist and loose, but not too soupy. Stir in lemon zest and parsley, then spoon into warm shallow soup bowls. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately.
