Ingredients
SERVES 4
– ½ cup couscous
– 500 g calamari
– 1 carrot diced
– 1 small zucchini peeled and diced
– 1 small scallion sliced
– ½ red pepper diced deseeded and stems removed
– 1 lime zest grated
– fresh mint to taste
– 1 garlic clove
– 4 tbsps. EVO
– salt to taste
– black pepper to taste
– white wine to taste
– 100 ml vegetable broth
– thyme to taste
– lettuce to taste
Directions
Place the couscous in a bowl, preferably in terracotta, add a drizzle of EVO and mix well. Then, in pan, heat ½ cup of salted water or vegetable broth. As soon as the water/broth is boiling, pour it over the couscous and, without stirring, let it rest, covered by a lid. After 10 minutes, toss with a fork and set aside. Meanwhile, clean the calamari: hold the body firmly, grasp the head and pull gently, twisting if necessary, to pull the head away from the body without breaking the ink sac. The internal body and tentacles will come with it. Then, cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes. Squeeze the small beak at the centre of the tentacles to remove it and discard. Set aside the tentacles to use. At the top of the body, there is a clear piece of cartilage, pull it out and discard. If the calamari has an outer spotted membrane-type skin, pull it also off and discard. Wash the tube carefully, inside and out, under cold running water, to get rid of any sand or other remaining tissues. Wash the tentacles carefully as well. Set them aside to drain, then chop them up and place them in a small bowl. Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan, let the garlic sauté in 2 tablespoons of EVO. After a couple of minutes, also add in the onion and let it golden. Then, stir in bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, salt, pepper to taste and half glass of water, letting cook for ab. 5 minutes. Right after, incorporate the calamari tentacles and let simmer for 2 more minutes. Turn the heat off; add the couscous, lime zest and a few mint leaves, stirring well to combine all of the ingredients. At this point, fill 2/3 of the calamari with the mixture, sealing each of them with a wood toothpick so that the stuffing will not come out while cooking. Place the calamari in a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of EVO, salt and pepper to taste and let cook for ab. 5 minutes per side, simmering with a glass of white wine until reduced. Finally, turn the heat off and season with a few thyme leaves. Cut the calamari into halves and serve them over a lettuce salad.
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