Succulent Stuffed Calamari

This stuffed calamari recipe is perfect for seafood lovers who adore succulent and soft calamari. One of my very close friends who also adores food, first introduced me to a similar recipe when he made me taste his mum’s delightful stuffed calamari for lunch one day. I immediately asked for the recipe and before I knew it, I was manipulating the recipe to my family’s tastes and we have made it several times since. I was quite surprised with how beautiful it is, because I am usually not one for calamari, but I managed to eat every little ounce of it and I think it’s the rice stuffing that make it extraordinary! So even if you’re not game on calamari give it a shot. You just might surprise yourself!

Rice Mixture

Preparing Calamari to go in the oven

Stuffed Calamari

1 large red/purple onion

4 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 red capsicum

8 mushrooms

6 medium sized calamari (washed and cleaned)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon mixed spice

½ teaspoon paprika

2 cups basmati rice

½ cup of white wine

1x400g can of diced tomatoes

2 cups of vegetable stock

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Finely chop the onion, capsicum and mushrooms into small pieces. In a large frying pan add enough oil to generously coat the base of the pan. Once the oil is hot add the onion and fry for approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and the capsicum and fry for another 10 minutes. Add the rice and fry off for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and half a can of the diced tomatoes. Allow to absorb. Add the vegetable stock, spices and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the lid on the pan and allow the rice to absorb.

Oil an oven-safe baking dish and pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Stuff each calamari ¾ of the way full and place in the oven-safe dish. Add 1 cup of white wine to the dish and pour the remaining half of the chopped tomatoes over the stuffed calamari. Generously coat calamari with oil. Put foil or a lid over the baking dish and bake for ½ and hour. After ½ an hour take the lid/foil off and bake for another ½ hour.