Stuffed squid

Ingredients

• 6 mediumsquid
• 450 gminced beef
• 1 largeonion
• 1leek
• 4shallots
• 1/2red pepper
• 1/2green pepper
• 1 clovegarlic
• 3 teaspoonsñora pepper flesh
• 500 mlsingle cream, 20% fat
• 400 ml (200 ml for the filling and 200 ml for the sauce)white wine
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• to tastenutmeg
• to tasteextra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the squid

   Carefully turn the squid inside out to remove any remaining contents. Dry them thoroughly and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   For the sauce, clean the leek and peel the onion and shallots. Finely chop all the vegetables. Heat a generous splash of extra-virgin olive oil in a large casserole over a medium-high heat, add the vegetables with a little salt and fry for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Blend the sauce

   Pour in 200 ml of white wine, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cream, black pepper and nutmeg to taste, then cook for another 2 minutes over a medium heat. Take the pan off the heat, blend the sauce until smooth and set aside.

4. 4

   Prepare the filling vegetables

   Wash the vegetables, remove the seeds from the peppers, and peel the onion and garlic. Finely dice the onion, peppers and garlic. In the same casserole, add more olive oil if needed and fry the vegetables with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes over a medium heat.

5. 5

   Cook the beef filling

   Add the minced beef, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up any lumps. Stir in the ñora pepper flesh and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in 200 ml of white wine, stir and cook until the alcohol has evaporated. Take the pan off the heat and leave the filling to cool slightly before stuffing the squid.

6. 6

   Stuff the squid

   Fill the squid with the mixture, leaving a small gap at the top so the filling does not spill out as they cook. Secure each squid with a cocktail stick.

7. 7

   Braise in sauce

   Add a little olive oil to the same casserole and brown the stuffed squid on both sides over a medium-high heat. Pour in the reserved sauce, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the squid are tender.

8. 8

   Serve hot

   Remove the cocktail sticks and serve the squid hot with the sauce. It can be served with plain rice or a fresh salad.

What is stuffed squid?

Stuffed squid is a familiar style of Spanish home cooking: whole squid are filled, browned and gently cooked in a sauce. Here, minced beef and peppers make a savoury filling, while a blended leek, onion and cream sauce keeps the dish moist.

The separate cooking of the sauce and filling gives each its own flavour before they come together for the final braise. That makes this a good dish to prepare ahead for an unhurried meal.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 870 calories, 39g protein, 14g carbs, 65g fat.

The beef supplies much of the protein, while the squid adds further protein; the wine and vegetables contribute some carbohydrate. Most of the fat comes from the cream, beef and olive oil. Serve with a generous fresh salad if you want a lighter accompaniment, or add rice for a more filling plate.

The squid and filling

Cleaning: Turn the squid carefully and remove any remaining contents, then dry them well. Leaving a little space inside each squid helps keep the filling from pushing out during cooking.

Beef: Break up the mince as it cooks so it fills the squid evenly. Let the mixture cool slightly before stuffing, which makes it easier to handle.

Building the sauce

Softened vegetables: Give the leek, onion and shallots their full 15 minutes in the pan, stirring now and then. This softens them before blending and forms the base of the sauce.

Blending: Take the pan off the heat before blending the cream sauce. Blend until smooth, then keep it aside until the browned squid are ready to braise.

Getting the filling right

Dice: Cut the onion, peppers and garlic into small, even pieces so they cook through in the stated 10 minutes.

Wine: Add the filling's 200 ml of white wine after the beef and ñora pepper flesh have cooked. Let it cook until the alcohol has evaporated before using the filling.

Browning and braising

Browning: Brown the squid on both sides over a medium-high heat before adding the sauce. Handle them carefully so the filling stays inside.

Doneness: Keep the covered casserole at a medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes. The squid are ready when tender; cooking time may fall anywhere in that range.

Making it ahead

This recipe can be prepared a day ahead, as the description suggests. Cool and refrigerate the cooked squid and sauce, then reheat them gently together until hot throughout.

For serving, plain rice or a fresh salad both work well alongside the rich, creamy sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Dry the cleaned squid thoroughly so they brown rather than steam.
• Keep a small gap at the top of each squid when filling it.
• Use a cocktail stick to secure each squid before browning.
• Stir the sauce vegetables occasionally during their 15-minute fry.
• Check the squid for tenderness at the lower end of the 15–20-minute braising time.

Variations

• Add parsley: stir a little chopped parsley into the filling before stuffing.
• Use fish stock: replace some of the sauce wine with fish stock for a less wine-led sauce.
• Make it dairy-free: use a suitable unsweetened cooking alternative in place of the cream.
• Serve with potatoes: offer boiled potatoes alongside to soak up the sauce.
• Add chilli: include a little chopped chilli with the filling vegetables for gentle heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overfilling the squid: leave a small gap at the top so the filling does not spill out.
• Skipping the drying: pat the squid dry before browning to help them colour.
• Crowding the pan: brown the squid without piling them on top of one another.
• Cooking the sauce too briefly: allow the vegetables their full 15 minutes before adding wine and cream.
• Using high heat to braise: keep the covered pan at medium-low so the squid can cook until tender.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with the sauce until hot throughout; avoid a vigorous boil.

Frequently asked questions