Recipe: Arroz Negro (Rice with Squids)

This is one of my favorite rices. I prepare a Paella with the black tint of the squids and Monkfish, together with green beans, red pepper, and other delicacies that is one of my favorites. You can treat this as a side dish (in a small quantity) or as a Paella that serves as the main dish.

ARROZ NEGRO (RISOTTO WITH SQUID)

1.5 lb squid
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion; chopped
1 pimiento; chopped
1 tomato; peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 garlic cloves; crushed
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch saffron threads
half chilli pepper; crushed
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups risotto rice
3 cups fish or chicken stock
1 pimiento, cut into strips

3 garlic cloves, crushed
half cup olive oil

Clean the squid, reserving their ink sacs and the tentacles. Cut the squid into 1/2-inch-wide rings or into pieces. Chop the tentacles. In a wide, shallow casserole, preferably earthenware and about 12 inches across, heat the oil and soften the onion. Add the squid rings and tentacles and saute for 5 minutes; then add the chopped pimiento, tomato, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, saffron, and chilli pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Break the ink sacs into a cup and mix with the wine. Pass this mixture through a sieve several times until most of the ink is extracted. Reserve. Add the rice and boiling hot broth to the casserole and stir in the ink mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, and stirring just once, from down up, for 10 minutes, or until the rice is no longer soupy but some liquid remains. Decorate with the pimiento strips and transfer to a moderate oven (170 C/325 F/Gas 3). Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed but the rice is not quite done. Remove from the oven, cover lightly with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes.

While the rice is resting, make the garlic sauce (Alioli). Place the crushed garlic in a processor or blender. Very gradually, with the motor running, pour in the oil. Blend until smooth. Serve separately.