Seppie in
Zimino
Cuttlefish braised with chard
Cuttlefish simmers with Swiss chard, tomatoes and aromatic vegetables until tender, making a saucy Ligurian seafood main course.
Tender cuttlefish & greens in the same potCuttlefish, greens,
a slow gentle simmer.
Seppie in zimino brings cuttlefish and leafy greens together in a slow-cooked dish. The cuttlefish becomes tender in a tomato base, while chard wilts into the sauce. Onion, carrot and celery add a gentle sweetness beneath the seafood flavor.
This preparation is associated with Liguria, where seafood and greens often share the same pot. Zimino describes a style of cooking with greens rather than one fixed ingredient list. The finished dish is moist enough to eat with bread, but more concentrated than a clear fish soup.
Explore by food: Fish & seafood · Vegetables & cheese
Let’s make seppie in zimino.
Buy cleaned cuttlefish and let tenderness guide the braising time.
Four main-course portions; cuttlefish weight is after cleaning.
What you’ll need
- 900 gcleaned cuttlefish, cut into 1 cm strips
- 500 gSwiss chard leaves, tough stems removed, chopped
- 4 tbspolive oil
- 120 gonion, finely chopped
- 60 gcarrot, finely chopped
- 60 gcelery, finely chopped
- 2garlic cloves, chopped
- 100 mldry white wine
- 400 gchopped canned tomatoes
- 150 mlwater, plus up to 100 ml if needed
- ¼ tspchili flakes
- ½ tspfine salt, or to taste
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 1 tbspchopped parsley
- 200 gcountry bread, for serving
Tenderness depends on the size and age of the cuttlefish. The 100-minute cooking allowance covers the longer end of the simmer range.
How to make it
- 01
Soften the vegetables
Warm olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Cook onion, carrot and celery over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute.
- 02
Add cuttlefish and wine
Add cuttlefish and stir over medium heat for 8–10 minutes as it releases liquid. Pour in wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, 150 ml water, chili, salt and pepper.
- 03
Braise until tender
Partially cover and simmer very gently for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some of the measured extra water if the sauce gets dry. Test a piece: it should be tender rather than rubbery; allow longer if necessary.
- 04
Wilt the chard
Add chard in handfuls, stirring each into the pot. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until tender and the sauce lightly thickened. Add parsley and taste for seasoning.
- 05
Rest and serve
Rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with the bread.
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