The Grilled Cuttlefish on the Grill Pan is truly delicious and very simple to make. Just follow a few small precautions to prevent it from becoming tough. The secret is to start cooking it at room temperature to avoid thermal shock and to cook it for no more than 10 minutes. Marinating is not necessary for tenderness but will certainly make it more flavorful. Cleaning it might be the only difficulty, but you can always ask your trusted fishmonger to do it for you (I relied on Andrea). If you have some time to spare, don’t throw away the ink sack, as it will be essential for preparing Squid Ink Tagliolini. If you click on How to Clean a Cuttlefish, you’ll find a short demo video. Cuttlefish is an exceptional mollusk: low in calories and cholesterol, only 85 calories per 100 grams, so it’s suitable for almost any diet. Rich in calcium and vitamin D, both very beneficial for our bones, let’s indulge during its best period, which is from January to April and from September to December. They’re excellent in any way you want to cook them, and on that note, I’ll leave you links to some tasty recipes:
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 21.2 oz cuttlefish
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 clove garlic
Tools
- 1 Grill Pan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Plastic Wrap
Preparation
First, take the cuttlefish out of the fridge at least half an hour before working with it so that when you start cooking it, it is at room temperature. Place it on a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, try to flatten it, and make diamond-shaped incisions all over the flesh. Now place it on a plate, drizzle with a generous tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
Season with salt and gently massage to evenly distribute the marinating ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes to allow it to absorb the flavors.
At this point, heat a grill pan on the stove, and when it’s very hot, place the cuttlefish drained of its marinade liquid on it. Keeping the heat high, cook it for 10 minutes, turning it occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Chop the garlic and parsley and place them in a small bowl.
Add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon filtered with a small sieve, and a pinch of salt to the same small bowl.
Once the cuttlefish is cooked, place it on a plate and dress it with the freshly made dressing.
Serve the Grilled Cuttlefish on the Grill Pan hot.
Tips and Storage
You can store the cuttlefish for no more than one day in the refrigerator, but in an airtight container. It will certainly lose a lot once you reheat it, but I recommend doing it in the microwave.
Freezing it is not a good idea because once defrosted, it will become spongy, but in extreme cases, it can be done.
Freezing it is not a good idea because once defrosted, it will become spongy, but in extreme cases, it can be done.
