Loris Stuffed Squid Recipes

SQUID STUFFED SQUID

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and salt and sweat until the onions turn translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
• Clean the squid thoroughly and remove the heads from the tentacles and discard the heads. Turn the tubes inside out (since the outside skin tends to curl outward, it'll hold the stuffing better inside out), put into a bowl and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. Place the tentacles and the shrimp into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times or until there are no large pieces visible. Do not process until smooth. Transfer to the mixing bowl along with the onions and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, tomato, lemon zest, ginger, parsley and pepper. Stir to combine well.
• Place the mixture into a resealable freezer bag and snip 1 corner. You may use a pastry bag with a tip just small enough to fit into the end of the tubes. Pipe the stuffing into the tubes, dividing the mixture evenly between them. Do not over-stuff.
• Place the tubes into an 8 by 11-inch glass baking dish and cover with the tomato sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

STUFFED SQUID SICILIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Blanch the chard in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and cool under running water. Squeeze chard completely dry and finely chop. Set aside.
• Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and fennel, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
• Add fennel fronds, fennel seed, anchovy, garlic, oregano and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes more.
• Turn off heat and transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Add pine nuts, lemon zest, bread crumbs, cheese and reserved cooked chard. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste and correct seasoning.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Using a teaspoon, put some filling in each squid body, taking care not to overstuff. Place stuffed squid in an earthenware baking dish in one layer. Season squid on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season tentacles with salt and pepper and arrange them around the edge of dish (alternatively, arrange tentacles in a separate baking dish). Drizzle tentacles lightly with oil. Spoon any remaining stuffing over tentacles.
• Roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until squid bodies are puffed, sizzling and lightly browned. If desired, run pan under the broiler for more color. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. (May also be served at room temperature.) Serve each person 3 or 4 squid, with tentacles.

SPICY STUFFED SQUID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 7x11 inch baking dish. In a saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Cut the head and tentacles from the body of the squid. Reserve and chop the tentacles. Remove the quill and peel the colored skin from the body. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
• In small bowl combine the rice, raisins and pine nuts.
• Saute 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet. Cook until soft. Add the chopped squid tentacles, and the rice mixture. Stir well and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet saute the onion and 4 cloves garlic until soft. Stir in the red pepper flakes and oregano. Add the tomatoes with juice, anchovy paste and wine. Stir and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the squid with the rice mixture and seal ends with wooden picks. Place squid in the prepared baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over all and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

ITALIAN STUFFED SQUID

Steps:

• Clean squid or tubes and pat dry.
• If using whole squid, chop tender parts of the tentacles and mix them with the bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, egg and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to make stuffing.
• Blend well, add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon stuffing mixture loosely into each squid tube and close with a toothpick. Do not over stuff because the squid will shrink during cooking.
• Add remaining oil to skillet large enough to hold squid in a single layer.
• Heat oil and cook sliced garlic until golden brown. Arrange the squid in oil and brown all sides lightly.
• Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, rosemary, green pepper, remaining minced garlic, wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and cook 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove toothpick from squid and serve whole or sliced, alone or with pasta.

STUFFED BRAISED SQUID

Steps:

• Place half the capers in a bowl with the breadcrumbs, egg, 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Finely grate in the pecorino, peel the garlic, finely chop with the parsley (stalks and all), then scrunch it all together.
• Peel and finely slice the onion and place in a casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, stirring occasionally. Now, a great nonna trick: squeeze the tomatoes while submerged in a bowl of water to remove the seeds (and prevent them going everywhere!). Add the tomatoes to the pan with the passata. Simmer on a low heat while you stuff the squid.
• Keeping the tentacles to one side, just over half-fill each squid tube with the breadcrumb mixture, pushing it right down into the tube but being mindful not to pack it too tightly. Use a cocktail stick or toothpick to seal or, like Franchina learnt from her grandparents, use a needle and thread. Stir the remaining capers into the sauce, then add the stuffed squid and tentacles. Simmer on a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Use tongs to move the squid pieces to a board. Removing the sticks or thread, slice the tubes to reveal the filling, then arrange on a platter, spoon over a little sauce and pick over the basil. Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water, then toss with the remaining sauce, loosening with a splash of cooking water, if needed. Serve with a grating of pecorino, alongside that tasty braised squid.

STUFFED SQUID, LISBON STYLE

Steps:

• In a small, heavy skillet, saute the bacon in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over moderate heat 5 to 6 minutes, or until the bacon bits are crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings into a large, heavy kettle, add the remaining olive oil and turn heat to high; reserve remaining 1 tablespoon dripping for the stuffing. When oil is very hot, add the onions, carrots and garlic. Saute over moderate heat, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until onions turn glassy. Mix in fish stock, wine, tomato paste and lemon juice; add the bay leaf. Bring to a low boil, then lower heat and simmer gently while you make the stuffing.
• Make the stuffing: In a large, heavy skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the reserved 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the onion, garlic and carrot and saute over moderate heat 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn glassy.
• Add the chopped squid tentacles; turn heat to low, cover and steam 20 minutes.
• Mix in the prosciutto, tomato paste, bread crumbs, wine, water, pepper and parsley and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and pastelike.
• Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then blend in the egg yolks.
• Push the stuffing into each squid until about 3/4 inch from the top; close top with a toothpick. Do not stuff too near the top or too compactly, since the stuffing will expand when cooked.
• Lay the squid in the kettle of simmering sauce; cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove the squid, spoon the sauce over it and serve with bacon bits sprinkled on top.

SQUID STUFFED WITH LOBSTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the lobster, and cook for 5 minutes. Pull the lobster out of the pot, discard the water, and chill the lobster.
• Shell the lobster, keeping as much meat as possible. Dice the meat into 1/4-inch (6-mm) cubes, and keep the shells. Set both aside.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the pasta, and boil for about 4 minutes, or until shy of al dente. Drain and transfer to a decent-size bowl.
• Add the lobster meat, tomato sauce, mayo, Tabasco, Pernod, and parsley to the pasta and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Crush the lobster shells into 1-inch pieces. In a sauté pan, sauté the shells in a film of olive oil over medium-high heat until the lobster water is gone from the shells. Add the water and unsalted butter and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Don't let it become dry, but almost dry. You should have about 1/2 cup (125 ml) liquid. Strain the liquid and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Stuff the pasta mixture into the squid tubes, and seal the open end of each tube with a couple of nonmentholated toothpicks. Just stick them right across the opening, pinching the tentacles into the opening. Lay the stuffed beauties side by side in a baking dish or baking pan. It should be a snug fit so the pan is less likely to dry out. Pour the strained lobster juice over them, then top with a few pats of escargot butter and the bread crumbs.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove the toothpicks and serve with a handful of olive oil-dressed cress (greens) on each plate.
• Wear gloves; many people have contact allergies to squid. Clean the squid in the sink under cold running water.
• Rip off the head. It's the part from which the legs hang down.
• Pinch away the beak. It's on the center, nestled among the legs.
• Slide out the blades. There are two of them, plasticlike, along the inside of the tube.
• Peel off the dark skin.
• Rinse the squid well, inside and out, to eliminate all traces of mucus and sand.

LORI'S STUFFED SQUID

Steps:

• Clean squid. Leave whole. Chop tentacles.
• Place tentacles on a food processor with the shrimp, egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and cream.
• Pulse until well blended.
• Stuff squid with mix. Secure ends with toothpicks.
• Heat butter in a deep skillet.
• Add shallots. Saute 3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes. Saute 3 minutes.
• Add wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce 5 minutes.
• Add cream. Bring to a boil.
• Add squid. Reduce. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until just cooked through.