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Choquinhos com tinta
Baby cuttlefish in ink
Choquinhos com tinta: baby cuttlefish fried with garlic and their own black ink
Setúbal claims fried cuttlefish, but the Algarve has its own treasure: choquinhos, cuttlefish no bigger than a thumb, sautéed whole in garlicky olive oil until their ink turns the pan glossy black. Seafood bars in Olhão and Faro serve them in small clay dishes, to be eaten with toothpicks and bread for mopping. The recipe uses a splash of white wine; use water with a squeeze of lemon instead for an alcohol-free version. Chef's tip: cook in a very hot pan in two batches, so the cuttlefish sizzle rather than stew.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb baby cuttlefishcleaned, ink sacs kept, or small squid
- 2 tsp cuttlefish or squid inkif the ink sacs were removed
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic clovessliced
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup dry white wineor water with a squeeze of lemon
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 1 lemon (optional)in wedges
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ¾ lb baby cuttlefish and pat very dry with kitchen paper. If they came with ink sacs, keep them aside; otherwise have 2 tsp cuttlefish or squid ink ready.
Step 2: Heat half of 2 ½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan until shimmering. Add half the cuttlefish and fry over a high heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan, until they turn white, curl up and start to brown at the edges. Tip onto a plate and repeat with the rest of 2 ½ tbsp olive oil and the second batch.
8 minStep 3: Lower the heat to medium, add 6 garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf to the empty pan and fry for 1 minute until the garlic is pale gold. Watch it: garlic that turns brown makes the whole dish bitter.
1 minStep 4: Return all the cuttlefish, pour in ¼ cup dry white wine and squeeze in the ink sacs (or stir in the ink). Toss for 2 minutes, until the liquid reduces to a shiny black glaze that coats the cuttlefish. A common mistake is cooking on after this point; baby cuttlefish go chewy within minutes.
2 minStep 5: Stir in 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, season with salt and serve straight away with 1 lemon and bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does choquinhos com tinta take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
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