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Kalamarakia gemista
Rice-stuffed squid in tomato
Kalamarakia gemista: whole squid stuffed with herby rice and baked in tomato
Stuffed squid is Lenten and summer food all over the Cyclades: the bodies are filled with rice, onion, the chopped tentacles, dill, mint and pine nuts, then baked in a light tomato sauce until the squid is tender and the rice has drunk up the juices. Families on Paros and Naxos make a tray for a Friday or a feast day of the Virgin in August, and serve it warm with bread and a salad. Common mistake: packing the squid full; the rice swells and splits them, so fill only two-thirds. Chef's tip: close each squid with a toothpick through the opening, threaded like a stitch.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 ¼ lb medium squidabout 8, cleaned, bodies whole, tentacles kept
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 4 oz medium-grain rice
- 1 oz pine nuts
- ½ oz fresh dillchopped
- ⅓ oz fresh mintchopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 lemoncut in wedges, to serve
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 2 ¼ lb medium squid inside and out and pat dry. Finely chop the tentacles and fins.
Step 2: Heat half of 2 ½ tbsp olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion and 3 spring onions for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tentacles and cook for 3 minutes, until they turn opaque.
8 minStep 3: Stir in 4 oz medium-grain rice and 1 oz pine nuts for 1 minute, then add 150 ml of the ¾ cup hot water, half the ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed; the rice will still be hard. Stir in ½ oz fresh dill and ⅓ oz fresh mint and cool for 10 minutes.
16 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Fill each squid two-thirds full with a teaspoon and close the opening with a toothpick.
Step 5: Lay the squid snugly in a baking dish. Mix 14 oz passata or grated tomatoes with the rest of ½ cup hot water, the rest of 2 ½ tbsp olive oil and the rest of ½ tsp salt and pour around them.
Step 6: Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover, baste and bake for 15–20 minutes more, until the squid is tender when pierced with a knife, the rice is soft and the sauce has thickened.
60 minStep 7: Rest for 10 minutes, remove the toothpicks and serve with 1 lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalamarakia gemista take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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