A staggeringly sweet chocolate cake served with chocolate bunnies and what one can only hope are While the squid ink may give this dish a somewhat outlandish appearance, the other ingredients are remarkably simple, and the various flavors combine beautifully to create an unforgettable culinary experience that must be tasted to be believed.
Hatching Tide is, just like Starlight, an important festival to gather and celebrate with your loved ones. While I’ve cooked risotto before, I’ve never used squid ink until this recipe. And frankly I was a bit skeptical, since I really dislike cuttlefish (or any Cthulu-esque kind of creature served on a plate). But after only one try I fell in love with this dish! There’s definitely a hint of seafood taste, regardless of which type of broth you are using, but it’s pretty subtle and is fantastic when you’re already planning on eating seafood anyway.
You will need
200 grams of risotto rice (short-grain type of rice)
600 milliliters of fish or vegetable broth
120 milliliters of vermouth
1 shallot
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small sachet of squid ink
Peel and finely chop your shallot and garlic. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and fry both shallot and garlic until aromatic. Add the rice and fry until the rice seems somewhat glossy. Pour in the vermouth and let the rice soak it up almost completely, while continuing to stir. Slowly mix in about one-third of your broth. Add the bay leaf and squid ink and mix well. Be careful when handling the squid ink, or you might stain your fingers instead of the rice!
Chop your chocolate (or be lazy like me and use couverture chips) into pieces and place each type, (i.e., Stir occasionally until the rice has soaked up most of the broth. Add another third of your broth and let the rice soak it up almost completely. You can now add as much broth or water as you like to achieve your preferred consistency. I like my risotto thick and creamy; hence, I opted for less!
In the photos provided, I served risotto on a bed of saffron sauce with some cooked shrimp. The saffron sauce amps up the seafood taste and is a lovely visual contrast to the dark risotto. I got this tip from a fellow cooking enthusiast, so thank you for that!
