This stuffed squid is a traditional Greek recipe with less fat as to be eaten without any remorse and with no harm for your waistline! The filling is made with rice, red peppers and some onion and it has a pinch of Cayenne pepper just to give it some extra strength! It’s really good and light! Just try it :-)
In two words:
“Ha! I still think of this beautiful young lady! Who I will never forget”
difficulty – easy
preparation– 10'
cooking - 8’ (for the filling) + 45’ (in the oven)
(au four)
serves - 2
Ingredients
- 230gr of squid already clean (~6 squids of medium size)
- 60gr of rice
- ½ red pepper
- ½ onion of medium size
- 1 spring onion (only the white)
- ¼ cup of white wine
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 pinch of Cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons of olive oil (for the filling)
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil (for pouring on top)
- ½ teaspoon of fleur de sel or coarse salt
- 10 turn mills of Kampot black pepper
- some salt and pepper for spreading on top
Steps
- Preheat the oven at 180°C
- Slice finely the heads and the tentacles of the squids
- Peel and chisel finely the onion
- Slice the pepper in very small dices
- Heat-up a pan
- Add the onion and stir constantly without any oil until it starts to shine
- Add the olive oil and keep stirring until the onion becomes at bit brown
- Add the dices of pepper and stir until they lose their crunchiness a bit
- Add the sliced heads and tentacles of the squids and stir until they change color
- Add the Cayenne pepper, the salt and the pepper and stir one last time
- Remove from heat
- Add the rice into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon
- Open the squid and start filling it with a teaspoon
- Use all the filling for the rest of the squids
- Place them into a tray going at the oven
- Stir well together the wine and the lemon juice
- Pour this juice over the squids
- Use one teaspoon of olive oil to cover slightly all squids
- Sprinkle on top 2-3 pinches of fleur de sel or coarse salt, along with 5 turn mills of Kampot black pepper
- Place the pan into the oven and cook for 45’, at the end you should have some sauce
- It’s really good and light!
- Enjoy!
What’s the story behind this recipe?
This is a traditional Greek recipe called kalamaria gemista or καλαμάρια γεμιστά. When I was a student, I used to like this recipe a lot but I could not eat much or often because it had too much oil and at the time I did not know how to manage the quantity of oil to make something tasteful and light, so I avoid making it! It was a great pity because the final dish is really-really good!
Today that I know how to manage the quantity of oil, I created this new version that is light and that can be eaten without any remorse as often as we want! The secret is on how to make it so it’s your turn!
Inspiration
The recipe of Stuffed Squid in the book Alexiadou Vefa, Greek Cuisine, Vefa Alexiadou, Athens, 2004, p.138.
As I already told, Mrs Alexiadou is an important figure in the Greek food history as she was for years on Greek TV presenting her recipes! She has written many books that are translated in French and in English and she is very well-known to have renewed traditional Greek cuisine and have helped many young women (or men) on how to make them!
For me, she is a huge reference as she was there for me during my youth as a student!
o-o C'est si bon ! o-o
- Categories: Greek Food, Special Food, Fish, For Beginners, Recipes, Savory Food
- Ingredients: squid, lemon, onion, piment de Cayenne, red peppers, rice, wine
