Preparing cuttlefish can be a messy business but once that’s out of the way this is a very easy recipe which makes the most of this often overlooked seafood.
Clean the cuttlefish and remove the cuttle bone and tentacles. Trim the tentacles and set aside. Remove the black ink sack and the skin and reserve.
Add a little oil to a hot pan and gently fry the onions, chilli and sage. Add the reserved skin of the cuttlefish and the wine. Simmer until the volume of liquid is reduced by half. Take out the skin and set aside.
In the meantime, cut the cuttlefish into very fine strips (julienne) and add to the sauce.
Add a tablespoon of ink to the sauce, stir and add a little more, if necessary, until you are happy with the colour and flavour. Cook for an hour over a low heat.
In the meantime, bring 1.25 litres/2 pints water to the boil, add the olive oil and polenta and cook until soft. Take the sauce off the heat and add the chopped parsley, bergamot juice and zest.
To serve, spoon the polenta in the centre of serving plates and top with the cuttlefish. Dot some sauce around the plate and garnish with the chopped red chilli, lemon zest and the flesh from the bergamot.
