Spring Food Series: Stuffed Calamari

Stuffed Calamari with Marinara Sauce and Cuttlefish Ink Risotto

Ingredients
4 calamari hoods, cleaned, tentacles reserved, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to season 2 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
500ml (2 cups) passata
Parsley leaves and toasted pine nuts. to serve
100g extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ lemon, zested, juiced 50g fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbs finely grated parmesan

Stuffing 
4 large green prawns, peeled. deveined, cut into 1cm dice
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 anchovies, finely chopped

Cuttlefish Ink Risotto
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
330g arborio rice
125ml (½ cup) dry white wine
1 litre (4 cups) fish stock
2 tsp cuttlefish ink
50g butter

Method

• To make stuffing, heat a lightly oiled frying pan over high heat. Add prawns and fry for 30 seconds. 
• Stir in reserved calamari tentacles and remove from heat. Stir in garlic, anchovies and oil. 
• Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. 
• Spoon or pipe stuffing into calamari hoods and secure with a toothpick (do not over fill). Season all over.
• Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. 
• Add calamari and cook, turning, for 2 minutes. 
• Add garlic, chilli and passata. 
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered and turning occasionally, for a further 20 minutes or until filling is hot.

To make Risotto

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
• Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. 
• Add rice and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer for 5 minutes or until evaporated
• Add stock, ½ cup at a time and stirring constantly between additions, until stock is absorbed and rice is tender but still al dente, stirring in squid ink and butter with last addition of stock.
• Transfer calamari to a warm plate and set aside, lightly covered with foil, for 5 minutes to rest.
• Blend passata mixture until smooth, then season.
• Divide risotto among serving plates. 
• Remove and discard toothpicks from calamari and slice. Place calamari slices on top of risotto, then drizzle over sauce. 
• Garnish with parsley and pine nuts and serve.