Cuttlefish stew is a typical dish of Italian regional cuisine, easy to prepare and rich in flavor. A fish stew main course in which the cuttlefish are cooked with leafy vegetables, creating a dish that is very popular both in Liguria and Tuscany with some variations. The term ‘zimino’ generally refers to recipes that combine seafood ingredients with vegetables, as indeed happens in this dish where we pair cuttlefish with Swiss chard or alternatively spinach.
Perfect to enjoy for lunch or dinner, this dish can be prepared with either fresh or frozen cuttlefish or squid.
To make this dish, prepare a mixture of carrots, onion, garlic, and celery and sauté it in a pot with oil. Add greens such as Swiss chard or spinach and then the cuttlefish cut into pieces or strips. Deglaze with white wine and once evaporated, add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook covered for about thirty minutes and serve the cuttlefish accompanied by toasted bread.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Preparing Cuttlefish Stew
- 1.75 lbs cuttlefish
- 1.5 lbs Swiss chard (or spinach)
- 18 oz tomato sauce
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- Half glass dry white wine
- 1 sprig marjoram
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Steps to Prepare Cuttlefish Stew
Start preparing the cuttlefish stew by washing the cuttlefish and cutting them into strips or large pieces.
Clean and finely chop the vegetables.
Clean the Swiss chard by removing the harder parts of the stems and cut them into pieces.
Pour the oil into a large saucepan and add the chopped vegetables.
Sauté them for a few minutes, then add the greens.
Let them wilt for a few minutes, add the cuttlefish, and deglaze with white wine.
Once the wine has completely evaporated, pour the tomato sauce into the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and let it cook gently for about 30 minutes or less depending on the size of the cuttlefish or baby cuttlefish. At the end of cooking, flavor the cuttlefish stew with marjoram leaves and serve hot with toasted bread.
Simo and Cicci Suggest
Store the cuttlefish stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days.
You can make this dish using baby cuttlefish or squid.
As greens, you can use either Swiss chard or spinach.
