Stuffed Squid Fricassee
INGREDIENTS:
(for 4 servings)
For the squid:
1kg squid
5 tbsps olive oil
1 medium onion, finely-chopped
1 clove garlic, finely-chopped
100g Carolina rice
½ tsp cinnamon
50g pine nuts
50g black raisins
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ bunch parsley, finely-chopped
½ bunch fresh basil, finely-chopped
Salt
Pepper
For the rest of the dish:
4 tbsps olive oil, plus ½ cup for the rest of the dish
2 big bunches of spinach or chard, without the thick part of their stem, hand-cut into pieces
2 leeks, cut into thin rings
1 celeriac, chopped and sliced
6 cloves garlic, whole
Juice of 1 lemon
6 tbsps ouzo
Salt
Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the squid:
Wash and clean the squid.
Remove the tentacles and chop them into fine pieces.
Heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and finely-chopped tentacles, and sauté for 2 minutes, until they wither and the colour of the tentacles changes.
Add the rice and continue sautéing for 2 minutes until the rice becomes glazy.
Add the cinnamon, raisins, pine nuts, salt, pepper and 1 glass water.
Stir and allow the rice to absorb the liquids, and to become mushy.
Remove from the burner add the parsley, basil and lemon juice.
Stuff the squid.
Close with a toothpick and set aside.
For the rest of the dish:
Heat up the olive oil in a deep frying pan.
Add the leeks, celeriac, garlic, spinach or chard, salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes until they wither.
Spread out the vegetable mixture in a pan.
Place the stuffed squid on top.
In a bowl, combine the ½ cup olive oil, lemon juice and ouzo, and mix well.
Pour the ouzo mixture over the squid, add ½ cup of water, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes, until the squid becomes tender and the celeriac has been cooked.