GRILLED SAUSAGE-STUFFED CALAMARI

Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari image

Provided by Kay Chun

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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3/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon paprika (preferably pimentón dulce)
12 cleaned small (3-to 4-inch) squid bodies plus tentacles (about 1 pound total)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Steps:

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.
Toast fennel seeds in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Chop fennel seeds and add to bread-crumb mixture along with pork, garlic, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently mix with your hands until well blended. Using a small spoon, loosely stuff squid with fennel sausage, leaving a 1/2-inch space at top (you may have some stuffing left over). Seal tops using wooden picks.
Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure .
Coat stuffed squid and tentacles with oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Oil grill rack, then grill stuffed squid, turning frequently, until golden in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of filling registers 150 to 155°F, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Grill tentacles until opaque and curled, about 1 minute, then add to platter. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with parsley.
What to drink:
Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07