Greek Kalamaria Yemista: Stuffed Squid
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The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
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368 | Calories |
20g | Fat |
14g | Carbs |
27g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 368 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 20g | 26% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 16% |
Cholesterol 396mg | 132% |
Sodium 433mg | 19% |
Total Carbohydrate 14g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 2% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 27g | |
Vitamin C 10mg | 49% |
Calcium 67mg | 5% |
Iron 1mg | 8% |
Potassium 475mg | 10% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Greek cuisine has a great number of seafood dishes that take advantage of the country's proximity to the sea and its delicious and nutritious offerings, which can be prepared in a variety of ways. Kαλαμάρια γεμιστά, (pronounced kah-lah-MAH-reeyah yeh-mee-STAH) is one such famous Greek dish, which features juicy and firm squid stuffed with a flavorful sauce filled with classic Mediterranean flavors like tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, garlic, and onions.
Usually referred to as calamari, from the Italian term for squid, these tasty mollusks are a great source of protein, with 13 grams per 3-ounce serving. The firm and tender meat of calamari makes them easy to work with, while the bold and nutty flavor leads to great seafood dishes when either served on its own or combined with other shellfish or different mollusks like shrimp and scallops. Squid makes a simple and tasty appetizer when pan-fried or deep-fried and served with wedges of lemon. That said, our stuffed calamari is a wonderful and filling main dish, especially if accompanied by other Mediterranean-inspired dishes like sun-dried tomato pasta, horiatiki salata, grilled vegetables, and fresh bread.
Ingredients
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2 1/4 pounds squid (cleaned)
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1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
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1/2 cup wine (dry, white, or red)
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1/2 cup olive oil
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1 medium onion (finely chopped)
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3/4 cup rice (preferably long-grain)
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2 to 3 cloves garlic (minced)
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1/4 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
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2 1/4 cups water
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon pepper
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Cut the squid tentacles from the bodies, and chop them up into small pieces. Reserve.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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In a medium-sized bowl, mix the tomato paste with the wine until smooth. Preheat oven to 340 F.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the olive oil into a large frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic, and half of the chopped tentacles.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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When the onion has softened and the mixture is steaming, stir in the wine and tomato paste mixture.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Stir in parsley and cook until the mixture thickens slightly.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add half of the water and bring to a boil.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Stir in the rice, turn off the heat, cover, and wait for the rice to hydrate and expand, or about 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and adjust if necessary.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Using a small teaspoon, fill the squid tubes with the rice stuffing, up to 1/2 inch from the top. Thread the top with one or more toothpicks to close tight and place in a baking pan. Repeat the process with the remaining squids and stuffing.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Mix any leftover stuffing with the reserved chopped tentacles and remaining water, and add the mixture on top of the stuffed squid.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Bake the squid for one hour and 10 minutes. Carefully remove toothpicks before serving.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Which Squid Is Best to Buy
Whatever your preference for the squids' size, medium or small, this recipe works well regardless. Stuffing small squid can be more difficult than stuffing squid that are larger in size. However, if you have a choice, always buy fresh over frozen squid, and always choose the medium size over the small.
Most commercially available small frozen squid can be bought already cleaned, which will save you a great deal of time. They might not include the tentacles, however, which are needed for our recipe. So you might need to buy them separately, which isn't always convenient, or cheaper.
When buying larger fresh squid, you get the entire body, even if the necessary cleaning process falls to you. Cleaning the 2 1/2 pounds of squid required for our recipe might take up to 40 minutes. If buying from a local fishmonger, call ahead and ask if they can prepare them for you.
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