Recipe - Kalamata Olive Herb Butter

1 kg Small squid
One half cup Corn oil
1 md Onion; finely chopped
One half cup Shortgrain rice
One half cup Tomato puree
One fourth cup Water
1 small Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
One half cup Dry white wine

Select squid with hoods about 1012 cm (45 inches) long.

To clean squid, pull off head and attached tentacles. Cut out eyes and beak
and discard. Clean dark skin from head and tentacles by pulling it off or
rubbing off with a cloth dipped in coarse salt. Rinse, chop 3 to 4 into
small pieces and keep aside. Remainder may be stored and fried later.

Clean out hood (body) and remove transparent backbone from inside. Pull or
rub off skin. Rinse well, drain and dry.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and gently fry onion until transparent. Stir
in rice and stir over heat for 2 minutes. Add tomato puree, water, cinnamon
stick, cloves, chopped squid, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and
simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove
cinnamon stick and cloves.

Fill hoods with rice mixture, packing it in loosely as rice expands and
hoods contract during cooking. Close top with wooden cocktail picks or sew
with strong thread.

Heat remaining oil in a deep pan and fry squid hoods until lightly
coloured, turning them frequently. Reduce heat, add wine, cover and simmer
gently on low heat for 1 hour or until squid is tender. Add a little water
to pan if necessary during cooking. Serve hot or warm as a mezethaki
(appetizer).

Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook by Tess Mallos
ISBN: 186302 069 1
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias