Croatian Black Risotto Recipe (Crni Rižot)
This black risotto recipe known as crni rižot in Croatian is fantastic if you like seafood. This dish has an intense seafood flavor and smell. It’s certainly not for those who don’t absolutely love seafood! Influenced by our Italian neighbors (and rulers for many years), this dish is best made al-dente!
This black, almost-scary looking dish can be found all over Croatia, but it traditionally comes from the coastal areas of Croatia. In my opinion, nobody prepares crni rižot better than your typical Dalmatian Konoba – a small family-run restaurant or in my mother-in-law’s kitchen.
My mother-in-law makes this risotto so black. So fishy, with huge chunks of cuttlefish, way more than is needed. Here is her abbreviated recipe for you to enjoy.
Black Risotto Recipe (Crni Rižot)
This black risotto recipe from our Croatian kitchen is not for the faint-hearted. You must love seafood, seafood, and more seafood!
Ingredients
- 1.2 kilograms of cuttlefish & calamari - the more cuttlefish, the better! (2lbs)
- 3 liters water (you may need more) (13 cups)
- 60 grams of unpeeled prawns (1/4 cup)
- 1.5 large onions diced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, diced small
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- 1 1/2 cups of white rice (carnaroli is best)
- Salt & pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons Vegeta
- 50 g butter (3 1/2 tbsp)
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Remove and save the sack of ink from one calamari without breaking it
- Clean the calamari and cuttlefish and cut into small pieces
- Place the calamari, cuttlefish, and prawns (leave them in their shells) into a saucepan, pour water over them and bring to the boil
- Drain the seafood and keep warm. DO NOT DISCARD THE STOCK. Peel the prawns
- Fry onions in olive oil until transparent
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
- Add the wine and half of the stock and allow to boil
- Add rice
- Season with salt, pepper, and Vegeta, cook for 10 minutes on medium heat stirring from time to time
- Add the rest of the stock, prawns, ink, calamari, and cuttlefish
- Cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat or until the rice is cooked
- Add more water if needed
- Be sure not to overcook the rice. It should remain firm and not gooey
- Mix in the butter and sprinkle with parsley and serve
Notes
I also like to grate on fresh parmesan cheese
oh YUMMY! I really enjoyed this dish when I had it in Croatia, it was delicious 😀
This recipe looks amazing. I can’t wait to get back to Europe to find amazing fare like this again.
I don’t get it. If the cuttlefish ink is mostly tasteless, why add it? The risotto without the blackness looks appetising and therefore tastes better!
Feel free to not add it, then it’ll be called, risotto. Dobar tek.
In Spain we produce a black Paella. & It’s delicious just like its famous brother, Paella Valenciana
The secret is not that Calamari is tasteless, it’s the cooking of the prawns, Calamari, garlick, onions, in good virgin olive oil, the sea smell is excellent. fish stock to be added to rice.