Today I treated myself to a lovely squid and zucchini risotto, an easy and quick seafood dish to prepare! Alas, I am perpetually on a diet but nonetheless, I try to make my kitchen colorful, tasty, and inviting!
Let’s face it: first of all, you eat with your eyes! If a dish only looks sad when you see it and doesn’t make you want to cook it, let alone eat it, we’ve lost from the start!
If you look at the photos of this risotto, it looks anything but sad or light! Yet it is not only delicious but also light.
It takes little to transform a healthy and genuine dish into a moment of pure pleasure! It just takes a passion for cooking, creativity, and awareness of what you bring to the table.
Even those on a diet can enjoy a nice squid and zucchini risotto, tasty, creamy but especially light, nutritionist approved!
When can we prepare such a risotto? Anytime we want!
For a Sunday lunch, for a packed lunch to take to work, or during holidays and occasions.
When I think of the upcoming holidays (I can’t wait!), seafood first courses are very popular!
For example, during Christmas Eve, they cannot be missed, or to celebrate the New Year’s Eve. Fish lovers, of course, can also prepare it for Christmas.
And if you’re looking for some ideas for a simple and economical fish menu, don’t miss this, you’ll find many truly delicious ideas!
Don’t like squid? No problem, you can replace it with calamari, cuttlefish, octopus, or if you prefer, with shrimp or prawns.
Are you a fan of seafood recipes? Don’t miss these, perfect for any occasion!
Pasta with Monkfish, Cherry Tomatoes, and Taggiasca Olives
Oven-baked Gratinated Squid Rings with Vegetables
White Sea Bream Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Mediterranean Gratinated Cod Fillets
Ziti with Perch Fish, Zucchini, and Cherry Tomatoes
Fresh Tuna Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
Other delicious recipes I recommend trying:
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 1 person
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 2.1 oz Arborio rice
- 8.8 oz squid (weight after cleaning)
- 7.1 oz zucchini (net weight)
- Half cup white wine
- 10 Taggiasca olives (only if you like them)
- 10 pickled capers (only if you like them)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (those not on a diet can use oil according to their habits)
- to taste chopped parsley
- 1 pinch curry (only if you like it)
- to taste salt
Tools
- Cutting board
- Pan
- Casserole
- Ladle
Steps
If you are not experienced with cleaning fish (like me!), you can always ask your fishmonger to give it to you ready to use! It will save a lot of time!
If instead, you prefer to do it yourself, proceed as follows.
First, separate the head from the sac. Remove the innards from the sac and also the internal cartilage (the transparent one). With a knife, detach the tentacles from the head and with the help of a knife or scissors, remove the eyes. Also, remove the beak and then wash everything thoroughly under fresh water.
After cleaning and cutting the squid, also wash the zucchini well and cut them into small cubes of the same size.
At this point, move to the pan. Pour in the oil, add the zucchini, capers, and Taggiasca olives (I use them often because I love them, but if you don’t like them, you can skip them).
Cook just 7-8 minutes, then place them in a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, without adding more oil, add the squid, adjust the salt, add a pinch of curry (if you like it), and finely chopped parsley.
Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and filter the cooking liquid which will be used to cook the rice.
In a casserole, pour just a drizzle of oil, add the rice, and toast it. Then pour the white wine and let it completely evaporate.
Add a couple of ladles of the squid cooking liquid and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
At this point, add the zucchini with olives and capers, and then the squid and finish cooking the rice.
As the rice dries, gradually add the squid cooking liquid or, if finished, hot water or broth.
When the risotto is almost ready, plate it, add a leaf of fresh parsley and a drizzle of raw olive oil to shine (not essential).
This lovely light squid and zucchini risotto is ready to be brought to the table and enjoyed in all its simplicity!
I hope you feel like trying it! Come back soon!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use frozen squid?
Of course! You need to thaw them first and then proceed with the rice preparation as described above. How do you thaw them correctly? You should put them in the fridge the night before and let them thaw slowly. This means it is absolutely not recommended to immerse the product (whatever it may be) in hot water to speed up thawing 😉
Why is the squid “rubbery” and hard?
This happens when they have been cooked for too long. Clearly, depending on their size, the cooking time changes, but it’s generally a short time (about ten minutes in the pan). To check for doneness, pierce it with a fork; if it’s tender, you need to turn off the heat immediately.
Does the squid skin need to be removed?
No, I kept it on because mine were small and very tender, but some prefer to remove it. Do as you are most accustomed to.
Can squid or calamari be used interchangeably?
Squid, cuttlefish, octopus, baby octopus, calamari, and cuttlefish are mollusks that are highly appreciated and used in cooking. Specifically, squid and calamari have a similar structure, so much so that they are often confused.
In reality, squid has a color that tends to be purple, even after cooking it becomes darker. Calamari, on the other hand, is white. That said, you can comfortably prepare this risotto using squid, calamari, or cuttlefish, depending on what you prefer.
