Recipe - Calamaria Gemista (Stuffed Squid)

3 pound Large fresh squid
One half cup Olive oil
1 cup Coarsely chopped onion
(packed)
1/3 cup Longgrain rice
One fourth cup Pine nuts
2 lg Garlic cloves; chopped
One fourth cup Currants
Three fourths cup Dry white or red wine
Salt & freshly ground pepper
to taste
Three fourths cup Chopped fresh parsley
(packed)
One fourth cup Chopped fresh dill, packed
4 tablespoon Chopped fresh mint
2 cup Peeled, seeded tomatoes
(chopped)

Wash and clean squid. Grasp the head just below the eyes, pull it off from
the rest of the body, and set it aside. Cut away the thin purplish membrane
on the outside of the tail section. Using your index finger, scoop out and
discard the guts and thin cartilage "icicle" on the inside of the tail
section. Rinse tail sections inside and out and set aside in a colander to
drain. Take the head section in one hand and put pressure with your thumb
and forefinger around the mouth and eyes, to squeeze them out. Discard
mouth and eyes.

Chop the squid tentacles and have them ready, as they will be used in the
stuffing.

In a large skillet, heat half the oilve oil and saute onion until wilted.
Add rice, tentacles, and pine nuts and saute over mediumlow heat for 2 to
3 minutes. Add garlic and currants to rice and stir quickly with a woodent
spoon. Pour in One fourth cup wine and One fourth cup water. Season with salt and
pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until liquid is almost
completely absorbed and rice is soft but only about half cooked, about 15
minutes. About 5 minutes before removing skillet from heat, add parsley,
dill and mint. Remove and let cool enough to handle.

Using a small teaspoon or a butter knife, carefully fill about three
quarters of each squid with the rice mixture. Use toothpicks to secure
closed. Pour remaining olive oil into a large stewing pot. Place squid
carefully in pot. Pour in remaining wine and enough water to cover. Bring
to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered for about 1One half hours,
or until rice is cooked and squid forktender. Twenty minutes before
removing squid from heat, add chopped tomatoes to pot and adjust seasoning
with salt and pepper. Check throughout cooking to see if more water is
necessary so that mixture doesn't dry out. Serve squid hot or cold with a
simple green salad.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This dish needs a delicate wine such as a Robola
Callinga or Santorini Boutari. Serve with wild greens (horta), 'horiatiki
salata (village salad), and a beautiful olive bread.

Source: The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas
ISBN: 0312050887
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias