Best Mediterranean Squid Calamari Filled With Shellfish Saffron Risotto And Ink Sauce Recipes

SQUID INK RISOTTO

Steps:

• Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook, letting the rice slightly stick to the bottom of the pan and scraping it off, until it sounds crackly, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the wine to the pan until it covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the wine has absorbed into the rice. Add the chicken stock to the pan until it covers the rice, about 4 minutes. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the stock has absorbed into the rice, about 6 minutes.
• Repeat this process two more times with the hot chicken stock. When the third addition of the stock has absorbed and the rice is very creamy, bite a couple grains of rice to test how it is cooked. Add the squid ink and mix to incorporate. If the rice is still a little crunchy, add a little more stock and cook the rice for another couple of minutes. Add the calamari and allow to cook until tender and the rice is creamy but still flows and holds its own shape, 5 to 7 minutes. When the rice is cooked perfectly, remove it from the heat.
• Toss in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano and fold to combine. Garnish with chives or micro bull's blood if using, and a big glug of good extra-virgin olive oil.

SQUID INK TAGLIATELLE WITH SQUID AND WHITE WINE-TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the olive oil, smashed garlic and red chile flakes to a large saute pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and allow the garlic to become fragrant and the oil heated. Once heated, add the tomatoes and oregano, and season with salt. Stir to combine. Cook until the tomatoes release their water, 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook until the wine is bubbling and has begun to reduce, about 1 minute. Add the squid, stir to combine, and cook until the squid becomes opaque in color--be careful not to overcook it! Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the pasta from the water and add it directly to the sauce along with about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water, some more oregano, some grated parm and a drizzle of big fat finishing oil. Gently toss to combine.
• Plate and garnish with more grated parm.

CALAMARI FILLED WITH SHELLFISH, SAFFRON RISOTTO AND INK SAUCE

Steps:

• Shellfish bouillon: Add the white wine to a saucepan and bring to a boil. When the white wine is boiling, add mussels, clams, and water to just cover, then cook until the shellfish open, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and reserve both the water and the shellfish. Remove the mussels and the clams from their shells - keep them separate. Discard the shells. Roughly chop the mussels and clams and combine with the lobster and crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the saffron to the warm shellfish bouillon and bring to a simmer. Fill the squids (cleaned) with the lobster mix and add to the simmering bouillon. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove the stuffed squids and set aside. Reserve the bouillon.
• Sauce: In a large skillet, saute the onion, garlic, and thyme until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the reserved shellfish bouillon, squid ink and cream. Boil down until reduced by 1/3, about 10 minutes. Strain onto a small pot, then boil the sauce for another 10 minutes.
• Serve the stuffed squid with the cream sauce and garnish with fresh herbs.