Stuffed Squid Sicilian Style Recipes

Steps:

• For the nduja stuffing: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it begins to smoke lightly, add the garlic and shallots. Cook, stirring continuously, until the shallots and garlic become translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool down.
• Add the nduja, panko, oregano, orange zest and shallot mixture to a medium bowl and combine well. Transfer to a piping bag and tie the piping bag with butcher's twine until tight.
• For the orange vinaigrette: Combine the orange juice, olive oil, sherry vinegar, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.
• For the squid: Fill the squid tubes with the nduja mixture, leaving 1/4 inch of space from the top (do not overstuff!).
• Sprinkle the squid with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and place the squid tubes in the pan. Sear evenly all over, about 4 minutes, then add the tentacles, orange segments, orange zest and coriander seeds and let cook, 1 minute more. Remove the squid from the pan.
• Arrange the squid all facing the same direction in a large serving bowl. Place the tentacles in between each tube. Garnish the squid with the orange segments. Spoon orange vinaigrette over the top and finish with the chopped mint and parsley. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Clean the 12 large squid tubes; remove skin and cartilage inside the squid and rinse and clean. In a large pan saute onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft. In a large bowl, combine the Sauteed onions, 1/2 cup of olive oil, garlic, 1 cup pecorino, 1/2 cup parsley, and the bread crumbs and mix well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oil to make the bread crumbs soft. Add the raisins last. Fill the squid tubes with the mixture and secure with a toothpick at the top opening. Lay the tubes in a baking pan with a little oil in the bottom of the pan, and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from oven and top with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of pecorino and an additional 1/4 cup of parsley. Put pan back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a large frying pan, mix crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes and set aside.

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.

Steps:

• Finely chop tentacles. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté tentacles, stirring, until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cool.
• Stir tomatoes into oil in pot along with basil, sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
• While sauce simmers, stir together Pecorino, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, eggs, sautéed tentacles, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently stuff each squid body with a slightly rounded tablespoon of bread-crumb mixture and pat squid to distribute filling evenly. Weave a wooden pick horizontally across wide opening of each squid to seal. (During cooking, stuffing will expand and squid will shrink, forming a rounded, well-stuffed squid.)
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté squid, turning over once, until browned and any liquid given off is evaporated, about 6 minutes total. Add squid to tomato sauce and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until squid is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard picks and serve squid with sauce.

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the taralli until it forms coarse crumbs. Measure 1 1/4 cups of the crumbs. Pulse the squid tentacles in the food processor to chop them fine, and pat them very dry with paper towels.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering, add the squid tentacles, and spread them out. Sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then add the butter, garlic and red-pepper flakes to taste. Cook, stirring, until the garlic just starts to color, about 1 minute.
• Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and stir in the taralli crumbs and lemon zest. The crumbs should look like wet, clumpy sand. If the mixture is too dry, sprinkle in a little more wine, and allow the filling to cool until just warm.
• Stuff each squid body with the filling, leaving the bottom and top inches unfilled (the stuffing will expand as it cooks). Secure the tops with toothpicks, and season all over with salt.
• Make the sauce: In a wide, deep pan, warm 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add red-pepper flakes to taste and the garlic, and cook until fragrant and just beginning to color. Stir in the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the tomatoes to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes. Add the calamari and any extra stuffing, and bring back to a very gentle simmer.
• Cover the pan, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to make sure the sauce maintains a lazy bubble. Adjust with salt to taste. Garnish with the parsley. Serve with bread or pasta.