Cuttlefish. Don’t touch that dial and the cuttlefish is an interesting member of the cephalopod family. That is to say, it’s related to squid and octopus. The cuttlefish has an internal shell, the cuttlebone. Some of you who have spent much time on the beach will have found some cuttlebones in the sand. Others who have pet birds will be familiar with the cuttlebone as it’s affixed in the bird’s cage for the purpose of beak trimming and minerals.

The cuttlefish looks like a squid but the body is wider and rounder and the tentacles are shorter. The cuttlefish also has an ink sac much like the squid. The cuttlefish and squid ink are reserved for us in risottos, popular in Italy and also a specialty in the Greek island of Rhodes (that dish is for another occasion).

Today, we’re going to focus on a Greek classic: cuttlefish with spinach. Again, cuttlefish are much like squid also in the area of cooking. Both have to be cooked quickly over high heat or cooked/braised for a longer period of time. No medium here. Thankfully this dish is the braising column and it’s hard to screw it up.

I like using these baby cuttlefish that are already cleaned & gutted. If you can’t find these baby cuttlefish, the larger ones are just fine. Cleaning a cuttlefish requires you to slice it open vertically, pull the guts and internal organs and then pull out the cuttlebone. Your fish monger can do all this or you can buy a frozen and pre-cleaned cuttlefish. Slice and you’re ready to cook.

This dish is quite common and enjoyed all over Greece as the sea surrounds all of Greece (except for its northern border) and it’s an old dish. Many (if not all) the monastic cookbooks I’ve read include a cuttlefish and spinach recipe. This dish is easy to prepare , few ingredients and delicious. Spinach offers up lots of iron, the cuttlefish providing protein and classic Greek flavours prevai: fresh dill, bay leaves, Greek olive oil and fresh lemon juice to give the dish some pop.

Cuttlefish With Spinach (Σουπιές με σπανάκι)

(serves 4)

1 kg. of cuttlefish (gutted and cleaned), look for baby cuttlefish

3 bunches of scallions, chopped

1kg. of baby spinach, rinsed well

1 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil + extra for finishing

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of chopped fresh dill

1. In a large skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and add your cuttlefish. Stir occasionally and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the liquid begins to release from the cuttlefish. Now add the chopped scallions and tomato paste. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
2. Now add half of your baby spinach plus the olive oil and place the cover on the skillet. The spinach will wilt as the water is released. After about 5 minutes, take the lid off and season with salt and pepper. Add some water if necessary (say a cup) and cover again and simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. At this point your cuttlefish should be tender (if not, simmer a little longer). Once your cuttlefish is fork-tender, take off the heat an add the remaining spinach, chopped dill and fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, remove bay leaf and dive and serve. Drizzle with some more extra-virgin olive oil
4. Serve with some rice pilaf and a Tsantali Agioritikos Rose and some crusty bread.

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