B-44 Bistro Arros Negre (Black Rice)

Source: Daniel Olivella, executive chef, B-44 Bistro, San Francisco

1 pound fresh squid, cleaned and cut up
1 pack squid ink
1 pound cuttlefish, cleaned and cut up
18 clams
2 onions, finely diced
1 to 2 cups rice, preferably Spanish brand
1/2 pound peas, fresh or frozen
4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped Salt, as needed
4 to 6 cups fish stock with squid ink
Homemade aioli (garlic mayonnaise)

In a paella pan, sauté the onions and peppers slowly to begin your sofrito. When ready add 1/2 of the garlic, saute. Add the tomatoes and cook until thick. This is your sofrito. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same paella pan, sauté the squid and cuttlefish, along with the rest of the garlic, and when 1/2 cooked, add the rice and let cook for a few minutes. Add the sofrito, and then start ladling in the hot fish stock to which you have added all the squid ink. Add ladles of stock as each is absorbed.

When the rice is nearly cooked, add the clams and green peas. Let cook and it should be ready once the clams open.

Top with a spoon of aioli.

NOTE: To get a better color and flavor out of the squid ink, pound the ink in a mortar adding some fish stock.

Buen provecho!

Serves 6.