Stuffed squid with squid-ink risotto by Kevin Mangeolles

INGREDIENTS

(serves four as a starter)

120g fish mousseline
4 cleaned 15cm squid
1tbs sunflower oil
20g butter
Salt and pepper

For the sauce (enough for about 12 portions)
30ml sunflower oil
60g onion, leek and carrot brunoise
2 thin slices ginger
2 crushed garlic cloves
20ml Noilly Prat
400ml crab stock
1-2tbs cuttlefish ink
80ml double cream
Salt and pepper

For the risotto (enough for eight portions)
30ml sunflower oil
1tsp diced ginger
20g diced shallots
3 crushed garlic cloves
200g risotto rice (carnaroli or vialone nano)
60ml dry white wine
450ml (approximate) crab stock
2tbs cuttlefish ink
Salt and pepper
30g butter
Lemon juice

To garnish
12 triangles red pepper, macerated in pepper oil

METHOD

Pipe or spoon the stuffing into the squid. Thread a trussing needle with string and stitch up the open end of each squid. Heat the oil in the pan over a moderate flame, add the squid and sauté until lightly browned on all sides. Add the butter halfway through the cooking. Season. (In a working kitchen, the squid would be stuffed in advance and sautéd to order.)

For the sauce, heat the oil and fry the brunoise, ginger and garlic until coloured. Deglaze with Noilly Prat. Add crab stock and enough cuttlefish ink to turn it a dark grey. Reduce until black. Add cream and reduce again. Season and pass.

Heat the oil for the risotto in a fresh pan and sweat the shallots, garlic and ginger. Add the rice and stir in the oil until well-coated and slightly toasted. Add the wine and reduce until evaporated.

Add the stock - at simmering point and mixed with cuttlefish ink - a little at a time, reducing the liquid and adding more until the risotto is just cooked. This takes about 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add a little lemon juice to taste. Stir in the butter.

To serve, pull out the string from the squid. Cut it in half on the slant and arrange it on the plate. Spoon a little risotto to the side. Splash sauce around the rest of the plate and garnish with triangles of marinated pepper.

Kevin Mangeolles