A soup from the old Ligurian tradition, cuttlefish zemin has a rich and tasty flavor and is ideal for tackling cold winter days.
Here is a dish that is super simple to prepare and incredibly inviting for everyone.

Friends of Pesto Fresco, in our news this week we discuss a dish dear to us Ligurians: cuttlefish zemin.
Ligurian-style Cuttlefish Zemin is a very inviting soup from our regional tradition.
It has a rich and tasty flavor and is great served warm to face cold winter days, but also warm for summer evenings.
Do you know what “Zimino” means?
Zimino is a term for a preparation involving cooking with leafy greens.
The Code of Ligurian Cuisine states that the word “Zimino” is derived from the Arabic word “samin,” which is a sauce of “herbages” with which fish dishes are seasoned.
This interpretation is also supported in more modern texts, such as the Great Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, which is considered a true “bible of cooking.”
Here we can read that “zimino is a way of preparing cuttlefish, cod or other fish in a stew into which chard or spinach enters.”
A definition that brings us very close to our recipe, among the typical dishes of Liguria.
In fact, it is a dish prepared with plant-based ingredients, with the addition of the seafood component: the very soft cuttlefish.
Here is the recipe!

Ligurian-style cuttlefish zemin: the ingredients

600 g of cuttlefish
500 g of chard
onion
garlic
parsley
celery
white wine
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Ligurian-style cuttlefish zemin: the preparation

The preparation of Ligurian-style cuttlefish zemin is very simple.

• Gut the cuttlefish, gently removing the pouch with the black ink (you can keep it aside to make other preparations)
• Cut the cuttlefish into strips or chunks
• Wash the beets and cut them into pieces
• Prepare a chopped onion, celery, garlic and parsley and put it on the stove for a few minutes in a large saucepan before adding the washed and drained cuttlefish.
  When they have browned, add a glass of white wine and let it evaporate.
• Adjust the salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes, adding the chard until the consistency of the soup is no longer watery.
• Before serving, add a drizzle of Ligurian extra virgin olive oil and accompany it with slices of toasted bread.

Here is a dish that, in its simplicity, has always been able to win over every palate.