Calamari, possibly stuffed grilled

[alden]

I was thinking of making stuffed calamari on the grill. Anyone had any experience with making calamari (besides the deep-fried way)?

I've only had stuffed calamari once. It was last summer in Boston in an Italian seafood place, and it was amazing.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

Stuffed Calamari Braised with Fresh Peas

This dish is also delicious with fresh fava beans, when in season; lima beans are also good. The peas not only become part of the sauce and absorb the flavor of the calamari, they are also a built-in side dish

Ingredients: Twelve 5 to 7 ounce calmari, (about 4 ½ pounds total),tentacles reserved
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Crushed red pepper
¼ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Cognac
3 tablespoons chopped onion
4 cups fresh shelled peas or two 20-ounce boxes frozen peas, defrosted and drained
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped scallions (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock, canned reduced-sodium chicken broth or water
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley


Directions: Leave the bodies whole and chop the tentacles into1/4-inch pieces. To make the stuffing: Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 1 minute. Scatter the chopped tentacles over the oil, sprinkle the thyme over them and season lightly with crushed red pepper and salt. Cook until the liquid given off by the tentacles is evaporated and the tentacles begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the Cognac, bring to a boil and cook until it is almost completely evaporated. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook until they begin to toast, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Fill the calamari with the stuffing, dividing it evenly and packing it lightly into the body cavities. (An espresso spoon or small teaspoon is a good tool.) Seal the open end of the calamari with a toothpick.
Heat 4 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slip as many of the stuffed calamari into the skillet as fit in a single layer. Cook, turning as necessary, until caramelized on both sides, about 8 minutes. Slip more calamari into the oil as those in the pan shrink. Transfer the calamari to a plate as they are done, leaving behind as much oil as possible. Stir the onions into the oil remaining in the pan and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper. Lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes for fresh peas or 10 minutes for frozen peas.
Return the calamari to the pan. Sprinkle the scallions over them, pour in the stock and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce is simmering. Simmer, uncovered, until the calamari are tender and there is barely enough liquid to moisten the peas, about 20 minutes. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer the calamari to warm plates or a platter and spoon the sauce and peas over and around them. Serve immediately.

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Grilled Calamari



Servings: 6

Description:

Ingredients: 8 medium squid (about 3 pounds)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the cooked squid.
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions: This dish can be prepared on a charcoal grill or in a cast iron pan or griddle. Just make sure, in either case, the temperature is good and hot, so the calamari cook very quickly. For easy handling, especially on the grill, thread the calamari bodies onto a skewer—one or two per skewer, depending on the size. Thread the tentacles onto a separate skewer without crowding them, since they will need a few additional minutes to cook.
Clean calamari according to normal directions. Then slit up one side, lengthwise to open like a book. Lay flat, leaving the skin on, and make 3-4 light diagonal scores across both sides to prevent curling.
Toss the cleaned calamari bodies and tentacles, ¼ cup olive oil, the garlic, salt and crushed red pepper together in a bowl until the calamari is coated. Cover the bowl and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour or up to overnight.
Prepare a charcoal grill well ahead so you have hot, glowing coals. Or heat a wide cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat until a drop of water bounces and sizzles. Lay the squid onto the grill or in the skillet. Set a heavy skillet on top of the calamari to weight it down so as much of the calamari as possible makes contact with the hot grill or skillet. This makes it easier for the calamari to cook evenly and brown well. Cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a warm platter and drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley and serve immediately.


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If you want tender calamari, there are two ways to go about it: Either cook them quickly—from five to eight minutes depending on the amount of calamari and how you cook it—or braise them slowly for 30 minutes or more. Anything in between, and the calamari will remain tough.