STUFFED SQUID WITH GINGER-LIME DIPPING SAUCE

Stuffed Squid with Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce image

Categories Sauce Ginger Side Fry Lime Squid Pastry

Yield serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

12 young squid, about 1 1/2 pounds total
Filling
1/2 pound ground pork
4 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (page 332), stemmed, and finely chopped
1 bundle (1.3 ounces) cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water until pliable, drained, and cut into 1/4-inch lengths
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup canola or other neutral oil
2/3 cup Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce (page 309)

Steps:

Clean the squid as directed on page 323, reserving the tentacles. Finely chop the tentacles, and then put them in a bowl.
To make the filling, add the pork, mushrooms, noodles, onion, ginger, fish sauce, pepper, and sugar to the tentacles and use your fingers or a spatula to mix well.
Stuffing the squid bodies is difficult at first, but you will quickly get the hang of it. First, use a sharp knife to remove a scant 1/8 inch of the pointy tip of the squid bodies. This hole acts as a vent, so that air bubbles don't form that would prevent you from filling the entire cavity. Next, hold a body with one hand and use your other hand to stuff. Start out with a small amount of filling and push it in with your index or middle finger, gently squeezing the squid tube to force the filling to the tail end. (Or, fill a pastry bag outfitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe in the filling.) Continue stuffing until only 1/2 to 3/4 inch of the body remains unstuffed. Do not overstuff the squid, or it may burst during cooking. "Stitch" the opening closed by inserting a toothpick down through the wide end (head hole) and then back up again. As the squid are stuffed, place them on a paper towel to blot up excess moisture. Discard any left over filling or save for another use.
The initial searing of the squid can be fairly dramatic, so you may want to have a splatter guard handy. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the squid and sear, turning as needed, for about 2 minutes, or until lightly golden on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium and continue frying, moving the squid around to ensure even cooking. After 10 minutes, the squid should be tight and firm, like a well-filled balloon, and be nicely browned. Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
To serve, remove the toothpick from each squid. Cut each squid on the diagonal into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices on a platter, with the dipping sauce in a bowl in the center for people to help themselves. Serve the squid hot or at room temperature.