Most of us love the squid rings dusted with flour or battered and quickly fried eaten simply with just some seasoning or served with dips and sauces. This is an alternative and delicious way of preparing this delicious cephalopod.
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
- 5 large squid
- 5 scallops with their roe
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and extra for drizzling
- ½ white onion, finely chopped
- ½ fennel bulb, finely chopped
- 1 yellow or red pepper, cut in very small cubes (brunoise)
- 50g bulgur
- 350ml fish or vegetable stock
- 50ml dry white wine
- Fennel fronds, finely chopped
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
Method
Start by cleaning and washing the squid.
Separate the head from the body of the squid. Remove the quill and innards from the body and wash. Push through the mouth in the centre of the tentacles and discard. Do the same with the eyes. You may choose to remove the purple colour membrane from around the squid or leave it on. The same with the wings.
Chop the tentacles in small pieces and reserve. Cut the scallops and their coral into small dice.
To cook the bulgur, put it in a saucepan and add 100ml of the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. When the stock has been absorbed, turn the heat off, cover the bulgur and let it absorb all the moisture.
Bring a sautee pan to a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and cook the onion for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped fennel bulb and chopped pepper and continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes, stirring all the time. Turn the heat off. Mix the bulgur into the cooked vegetables. Add the chopped tentacles, chopped scallops and coral. Add the lemon zest and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and use this mix to fill the squid with. Use cocktail sticks to close the squid openings so the stuffing does not leak out during cooking.
Lay the squid on the bottom of a saucepan large enough to fit them snuggly. Place any left-over stuffing amongst the squid. Bring to a medium heat and add the wine. Let it evaporate and add the remaining stock. Cover the pan, decrease the heat to low and cook the squid for around 40 minutes. At the end, all the liquid must be absorbed so if the squid is tender but there is still much liquid in the pan, increase the heat and remove the lid so that the juices evaporate.
Leave the squid to rest for 5 minutes and slice to serve with extra stuffing. Drizzle with some olive oil and a little lemon juice and sprinkle with the chopped fennel fronds.