Sepia a la Plancha

The sepia flesh turns pearly and firm under high heat. The aroma of fried garlic and seared parsley rises from the scorching grill, while lemon cuts through the olive oil.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 264
• Protein: 33 g
• Carbs: 2 g
• Fat: 14 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Cuttlefish ( cleaned and body scored )
• 3 piece Garlic ( finely minced )
• 1 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Hot pepper d'Espelette

Instructions

1. Prepare the sepia

   Dry the sepia thoroughly with paper towels. Score the outer side of the flesh with a knife tip in a diamond pattern without cutting through, to ensure even cooking.

2. Dry marinade

   Mix the minced garlic, chopped parsley, and olive oil in a bowl. Coat the sepia pieces with this mixture.

3. Sear

   Heat the plancha to high. Place the sepia scored-side down first. When the edges start to brown and the flesh turns opaque, flip the pieces.

4. Deglaze

   Drizzle with lemon juice at the end of cooking. The juices will release and coat the flesh. Remove from heat immediately before the sepia turns rubbery.

Chef's tips

• The grill must be smoking hot before adding the sepia; that's the secret to searing without boiling.
• Don't exceed 2-3 minutes per side, or the flesh will lose its moisture and toughen up.

Storage

Eat immediately. Reheated sepia loses its tender texture.