Stuffed Squid With Rice + Vegetables

This delicious Stuffed Squid with rice is served along with a very flavorful and rich tomato sauce that's perfect for bread dipping!

📝 Ingredients

• 600 grams Squid (1 large or 2 smaller ones)
• olive oil
• toothpicks
• 1/2 medium-sized (80 grams) red onion (minced)
• 1/2 small (20 grams) green onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 (30 grams) long sweet green pepper (finely chopped)
• 2 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 small (50 grams) zucchini (grated not too fine)
• 1/2 small (60 grams) carrot (grated not too fine)
• 1/2 small (30 grams) stick of celery (finely chopped)
• 1/3 cup (75 grams) round short-grain white rice
• 1/2 large (120 grams) tomato (finely diced)
• 1/2 medium-sized (80 grams) red onion (minced)
• 1 cup (250 grams) tomato passata
• 1 teaspoon sweet red pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Clean and prepare the Squid. Separate the head from the body. Cut the head right at the base of the legs. Discard the head and keep only the legs. Finely chop the legs and place them in a bowl.
2. 2Remove everything that's inside the body of the Squid and rinse well. Remove also the outer skin if there is any. Then place them in a strainer.
3. 3--- Make The Stuffing: ---
4. 4In a non-stick frying pan heat a generous splash of olive oil over high heat.
5. 5Add the chopped Squid legs to the pan and reduce heat to medium.
6. 6Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add both types of onions, pepper, and garlic.
7. 7Cook until slightly softened. Then add also the zucchini and carrot and cook until they soften also.
8. 8Add the celery and rice. Then add the tomato and 1 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and simmer covered until rice absorbs all of the water.
9. 9Take the pan off the heat and let the stuffing cool down a bit.
10. 10Using a spoon, start stuffing the Squid leaving about 2 cm (1-inch) space at the top. Also, make sure the stuffing is just enough inside the squid. It shouldn't look like it's about to explode.
11. 11When you are done, use one to two toothpicks to close each Squid at the top and secure the filling inside. NOTE: If there is leftover rice filling keep it to serve as a side to the squid.
12. 12--- Make The Sauce: ---
13. 13In a medium-sized cooking pot heat a splash of olive oil over high heat.
14. 14Add the red onion and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the onion softens a bit without letting it get any color.
15. 15Add the Squid and cook for 2-3 minutes flipping it occasionally.
16. 16Then add the passata along with 2 cups of water, sweet red pepper, and the bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
17. 17Put the lid on the pot and simmer covered over medium heat (medium-low on a gas stove) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Or until the sauce thickens nicely.
18. 18Take the pot off the heat and let the Squid rest in the pot for at least 20 minutes. Then serve cutting it into slices. You may serve with some hot red pepper or red pepper flakes on top.