Stuffed Squid With Fish And Spinach Food

BAKED FETA-STUFFED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Keep the cleaned squid in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until
• wilted and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool.
• Add all the cheeses, dill, mint,the lemon zest and egg to the bowl with the onion and toss to combine. Season with the pink peppercorns and salt and black pepper to taste. (The mixture will likely be salty enough with the feta, so you may not need to add any.)
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs to help bind the mixture. Test it by shaping a
• small ball with your hands; if it is still too loose to hold its shape, add more of the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until firm enough. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to help firm it up.
• Remove the squid and filling from the refrigerator. Stuff each of the squid tubes with enough of the filling to come up to about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the top so that when the stuffed squid shrinks during cooking, it doesn't burst. Using a toothpick, secure the open end of the tube closed.
• Heat a grill until quite hot or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the grill grates or pan
• with a little olive oil. Place the stuffed squid and tentacles (separately) on the grill or in the
• hot grill pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning with kitchen tongs a few times, until lightly
• browned all over.
• Serve as is or, for a more dramatic effect, using a sharp knife score the top of each squid tube so that the surfaces fans open a bit, revealing the cheesy filling. Remove the toothpick and serve, garnished with lemon wedges and pink peppercorns.

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.

SQUID STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut off tentacles so that you have just the body cavity.
• Make sure to keep it whole so you can stuff it without leaks.
• Reserve the tentacles.
• Mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, pepper, nutmeg,parsley and egg; set aside.
• Heat the oil at medium in a large heavy skillet or saucepan.
• Add the garlic.
• Stir and cook for a few seconds.
• Add the tomatoes.
• Bring to a boil and add tomato paste.
• Lower heat and add rosemary.
• Simmer sauce for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is simmering, stuff the body of each squid only about 1/3 full of the spinach/cheese mixture.
• If you overstuff them, they will explode.
• You might also want to poke a hole or two in the body of the squid.
• Fasten the opening of each squid with a toothpick.
• After the sauce has cooked, place the stuffed squid in the simmering sauce.
• Add the tentacles to the sauce.
• Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Then turn carefully and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
• While the squid is cooking, melt the butter in a clean pan and toss the pine nuts in the butter until golden.
• Watch carefully; pine nuts have a tendency to burn.
• Lift out stuffed squid to a warm, flat serving dish with sides.
• Spoon sauce around and garnish with pine nuts.

SQUID STUFFED WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Clean the squid and chop the tentacles finely. Set aside.
• Saute the onion and garlic in one tablespoon olive oil and butter without browning, until the onion is soft. Add the tentacles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and saute, stirring, until they are thoroughly wilted.
• In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, egg, two tablespoons parsley and the cooked spinach mixture. Mix thoroughly and season with salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste.
• Stuff the mixture into the squid -not too full - and secure the end closed with a toothpick.
• With the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, grease a rectanguler baking dish large enough to hold the stuffed squid comfortably in one layer. Arrange the squid in the dish and add the wine and tomatoes.Season with salt and pepper, and more pepper flakes if you like.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the squid is tender and the sauce has thickened. If there is too much liquid, turn the oven up and allow the sauce to reduce. If there is too little, add more white wine. Serve with lemon quarters.

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.

BRAISED CALAMARI STUFFED WITH SHRIMP, SPINACH, AND HERBS

Steps:

• For the calamari: Roughly chop 3 of the calamari tubes and add to a food processor with the shrimp and garlic. Pulse into a coarse paste. Remove to a large bowl and add the spinach, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and stir to combine. The mixture should be a little chunky but moist and holding together. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini patty, cooking it in a small pan, and eating it. It should taste really good! If it doesn't, it is probably missing salt. Add more salt, as needed. Divide the stuffing among the remaining 8 calamari bodies and secure closed with toothpicks.
• For the sauce: Coat a large, wide skillet or saucepan with olive oil and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and put the skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions until they are soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill or puree them in a food processor and add them with 1 cup of water to the skillet. Season with salt, to taste, and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
• Add the calamari to the skillet and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the calamari from the skillet and remove the toothpicks. Reduce the sauce to thicken, if needed. Arrange the calamari on a serving platter and cover with the sauce before serving.

BRAISED CALAMARI STUFFED WITH SHRIMP, SPINACH AND HERBS

Steps:

• To make the calamari:
• Roughly chop 3 of the calamari tubes and add to a food processor with the coarsely chopped shrimp and garlic. Pulse into a coarse paste. Remove to a large bowl and add the spinach, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, and pinch of crushed red pepper. Season with salt and stir to combine. The mixture should be a little chunky but moist and holding together. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini patty, cooking it in a small pan and eating it. It should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more salt, to taste. Divide the stuffing among the 8 remaining calamari bodies and secure closed with toothpicks.
• To make the sauce:
• Coat a large, wide skillet or saucepan with olive oil and add the onions and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Season with salt and put the saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions until they are soft and aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill or puree them in a food processor and add them and 1 cup of water to the pan. Season with salt, to taste, and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
• Add the calamari to the pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the calamari from the pan and remove the toothpicks. Reduce the sauce to thicken, if needed. Arrange the calamari on a serving platter and cover with the sauce before serving.
• Deliciouso!

SQUID STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND HERBS

Steps:

• Prepare squid: remove intestine, eyes and the jelly bone from squid. Rinse well and cut of the tentacles.
• Clean rinse and chop spinach.
• Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onion and tentacles for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add spinach and hers and sauté for other 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat and stir in rice, salt and pepper.
• Stuff the squid taking care not to overfill them and place in a baking tin.
• Heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic.
• Add remaining ingredients and cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the squid and bake at 180°C/350F for about three quarters of an hour. Check the liquid from time to time and add more liquid (wine of water) if necessary.

FILET OF FISH STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oil in saucepan.
• Add garlic and onion and saute for a minute or two.
• Add spinach to pan.
• Saute until all water evaporates. About 3 minutes.
• Take off heat. Add feta and parmesean. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Set aside to cool.
• Season fish with salt and pepper.
• Place about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center of each piece of fish.
• Roll fish aroung stuffing.
• Place fish seam side down into baking dish.
• Drizzle with olive oil (if desired).
• Sprinkle fish with oregano and paprika.
• Bake at 400 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

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.