Stuffed and Grilled Calamari Appetizer
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 24 stuffed calamari (4 to 8 servings)
- Total: 3 hr 15 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr 40 min
Ingredients
Filling:
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped into small pieces and washed well
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch red chile flakes
Juice of 1/2 small lemon
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound raw prawns, chopped to the approximate size of garbanzo beans
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Calamari:
1 pound frozen small whole calamari with tentacles, thawed and cleaned
Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce, recipe follows
Fried Capers, recipe follows
Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce:
1 yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream, heated
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped shallot
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Fried Capers:
1/2 cup capers
1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-frying thermometer- For the filling: Saute leeks in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add shallot and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add wine, parsley, vinegar, tarragon, salt, chile flakes and lemon juice and turn heat to high. Cook until reduced 85 percent, 3 to 5 minutes
- Turn heat to medium and add butter. Let melt, then add prawns. Cook, stirring, until just done, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in breadcrumbs to absorb any remaining liquids and remove from heat.
- Transfer to a bowl and chill completely before stuffing calamari.
- For the calamari: Insert a funnel into the open end of a calamari.
- Fill the funnel about halfway with the filling and push it into the calamari, filling it only three-quarters of the way full, to allow for shrinkage as it cooks. Use a toothpick to skewer the tentacles to the opening of the calamari. Repeat with remaining filling and calamari.
- Preheat a grill or saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the calamari, 2 minutes per side.
- Arrange grilled calamari on a serving dish and serve with warm Roasted Yellow Bell Sauce and sprinkled with Fried Capers.
Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce:
- Roast pepper on open flame of stovetop burner, turning as outside blackens, until roasted on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove outer burnt skin of pepper, cut into quarters and remove stem and seeds.
- Place pepper in a small food processor.
- Steep garlic in hot cream for 2 minutes, then add to processor. Add butter, parsley, shallot, vinegar, salt and lemon juice and process to make a smooth puree.
Fried Capers:
- Rinse capers with water, then squeeze with hands to express any juices. Drain very well.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a small saucepan over medium heat. Carefully add capers to hot oil and fry until darkened in color and capers have become crispy, approximately 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.