Your Word Is A Lamp For My Feet

Not too long ago, I tried to "harvest" squid ink from fresh squid but it was not worth the trouble. Squid ink are available cheaply at gourmet stores and they can be kept in the fridge for a year.
I have been eyeing this Squid in its Ink recipe from The Harry's Bar cookbook by Arrigo Cipriani.

There is only one famous Harry's Bar in Venice, located on Venice's Calle Vallaresso, near the Piazza San Marco. Harry's Bar has been for five decades, the meeting place for artists, writers, royalty,maestros,divas and celebrities. The founder, Giuseppe Cipriani is also famous for inventing the famous Bellini coctail and Carpaccio which is a dish of thinly sliced raw beef. The bar is also well known for its risottos and dozens of pasta dishes.
The family has expanded their business to pastas, olive oils, sauces, cookbooks and kitchenwares. Today, you can find the Cipriani group of bars and restaurants in many parts of the world.

This dish  Seppie In Tecia Col Nero, Squid cooked in its Ink makes an excellent sauce for pasta. It is also good with risotto. In the cookbook, it is served with grilled polenta.

Seppie In Tecia Col Nero
Squid Cooked In Its Ink
Adapted from The Harry's Bar Cookbook
serves 6 as a main course

900g medium squid or 675 cleaned squid
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 large celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 1/2 cup dry white wine(375ml)
1/2 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including basil and parsley
125ml fish stock or water, if needed'
salt
freshly ground pepper
25g squid ink
Parsley, fresh red chilli slices to garnish



Method

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and garlic, and cook until softened and golden but not browned - about 5 minutes.

• Add the tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the squid, raise the heat to high, and toss for a few minutes. Then add the wine and the herbs and boil for 2 or 3 minutes more. Turn down the heat.

• Add in the ink, season with salt and pepper  and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the squid is soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally and add a little fish stock or water if the liquid evaporates. Taste the squid and adjust the seasoning.

Note: The long cooking time will not make the squid rubbery. When it is cooked that long, the squid develop a totally different kind of tenderness in texture.I cooked half a recipe and served with regular pasta, 

I have not been to the Harry's Bar in Venice so I can't tell if my version is similar in taste. My home made squid ink pasta definitely tastes better than those I have tried elsewhere.

I am also showing off my two new Le Creuset to you, bought at warehouse sales at 70% off list price. There were not many choice colours but I am happy with these two.

26" Buffet Casserole 

26" Stew/soup pot

Some of items on sale

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Books by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours.

The Mailbox Club

Since Sunday School started The Mailbox Club in July, we have 29 children who have completed the first series. There are about 6 to 10 lessons in each series at different level for children 5 to 12 years old.

These children will be receiving their certificates of completion during the children's camp in November.

Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105