The Spanish East Coast, specifically the Costa Brava, brings to mind Salvatore Dali’s art and –being on the Mediterranean – Seafood galore! Not to forget the stunning ocean views with every other twist in the coastal road.
I have been on a quest to discover the very best Calamari for many years, and Spain gave me the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity by tasting endless varieties of dishes involving squid and octopus. Sometimes it is worthwhile ordering what the chef recommends, I got lucky and had a seafood filled squid that made my day.
My best version yet is a squid filled with scrumptious crawfish. Reminding of the ocean a little more intensely than shrimp, the crawfish adds a wonderful dimension, resulting in a superb balance of flavour and texture. The splash of lemon is a must!
I will keep searching for crisp and tender calamari preparations, but in the meantime, this dish makes me very happy.
Crawfish Stuffed Squid
Preparation:
- Chop onions and celery finely and sautee for 5 minutes in olive oil. Cool.
- Pre-heat oven to 400F.
- Mix gently in a bowl: Crawfish, sautéed vegetables, breadcrumbs, egg, lemon- and orange juice, 2 tbsp cream, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of harissa spice. (Alternatively use paprika- and cayenne powder.)
- Mix pureed tomatoes with 200g cream, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce in a baking dish.
- Fill the quid tubes with the crawfish stuffing and place on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and parmesan.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400F for 50 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 squid tubes, cleaned
- 454g crawfish cooked
- 80g onion
- 80g celery
- 70g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- Harissa spice
- 400g tomato puree
- 200g cream
- 40g shredded melty cheese (Jarlsberg, Mozarella)
- 25g parmesan
