Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari
If people think about cooking calamari past rings, odds are high, they think of delicious stuffed calamari. This is another way the versatility of calamari can really shine: there are so many ways to stuff the tubes that are so, so good. The mild flavors and texture of calamari allow you to go in almost any direction. Here, pork sausage and fennel carry the day. If you don't love tentacles on the side, grab a pack of tubes only, or you an chop and add to the stuffing.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
- 1⁄3 cup whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ pound ground pork
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (preferably pimentón dulce)
- 12 Town Dock calamari tubes plus tentacles (about 1 pound total)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Accompaniment: lemon wedges
Preparation
Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.
Toast fennel seeds in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Chop fennel seeds and add to bread-crumb mixture along with pork, garlic, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gently mix with your hands until well blended. Using a small spoon, loosely stuff squid with fennel sausage, leaving a ½-inch space at top (you may have some stuffing left over). Seal tops using wooden picks.
Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
Coat stuffed squid and tentacles with oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Oil grill rack, then grill stuffed squid, turning frequently, until golden in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of filling registers 150 to 155°F, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Grill tentacles until opaque and curled, about 1 minute, then add to platter. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with parsley.
Cook′s Note
- Squid can be cooked in a 2-burner grill pan.
- Squid can be stuffed 8 hours ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
- Any leftover stuffing can be added to pasta sauce.
Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.