麻豆社

by Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo

It's something of an Italian Christmas Eve tradition to feast on this fish stew. And it's done in 30 minutes!

Main course

Buyer's guide

Cuttlefish is quite difficult to buy as many fishmongers think it too inky and messy to bother with. You will need to be pre-order it unless you have access to a fish market. It鈥檚 available most of the year.

Preparation

Preparing cuttlefish makes a mess like no other! The tentacles, eyes and beak need to be removed. The head is then gutted and the ink sack removed; the skin is also removed. The head, once skinned, is brilliantly white and can be thinly sliced, then pan-fried or poached. Cuttlefish tentacles, on the other hand, are tough and are best casseroled with garlic, wine, balsamic vinegar and red onion.