Calamari Patagonica
Our featured recipe books this month is Natural Ingredients Taste of The Falklands.
This fascinating book is filled with glorious colour photographs of a part of the world most of us know little about and will almost certainly never visit. Far from being a drab outpost of Empire, it's an island of contrasts and rapidly changing landscapes with an abundance of fresh food, free from pesticides and pollution. The cuisine is influenced by both the UK and South America and this recipe, Patagonian in provenance, is redolent of the sea.
The book retails at retails at £20 and can be purchased directly from Falkland House in London by calling 020 7222 2542.
Ingredients
1kg clean squid tubes (Loligo gahi)
filling
500g crab meat
500g white breadcrumbs
200ml fresh cream
2 whole eggs, beaten
50ml extra virgin olive oil
100g red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
extra virgin olive oil for grilling
sauce
400g chopped tomatoes
100ml extra virgin olive oil
100g onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
100ml white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
Method
Fry garlic and onion in olive oil until soft but without adding colour, allow to cool. In a mixing bowl combine all remaining ingredients for the filling and add the onion mixture. Stuff the squid tubes with the crab filling and secure with a cocktail stick.
For the tomato sauce, fry onion and garlic in olive oil, add all other ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes, check seasoning.
Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan, add one teaspoon of salt and reduce heat. Carefully introduce the stuffed squid tubes into the water and simmer for 5 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and drain well. Place on a lightly oiled tray and keep warm.
Heat cast iron pan and add some olive oil; seal the stuffed squid, place onto serving dish and pour on sauce. Serve with scattered basil leaves and dash of extra virgin olive oil.
