This is an old favorite in our house . And every time I make it people always ask me for the recipe. It’s a little bit more complex than the previous recipes but definitely worth the effort. It’s great to serve as part of a big Mediterranean lunch on the weekend because it requires time and all hands on deck.

Stuffing the calamari requires two people to do the job. One person holds the tube open usually Brian Kinnear and the other person that would be me, stuffs the calamari. I’ve never taken a photo because it’s just the two of us at home. I’ll have to get Sarah Jay Kinnear to help out when next she’s home. I use a knife to do the stuffung. I’ve tried all sorts, including teaspoon, a piping bag and syringe. The filling clogs up the works and the spoon is too fat. If anyone comes up with an easier way, please share.

Click on the link from a previous post where you will find more step by step details. https://www.facebook.com/FreshKitchenEastLondon/posts/1519544551422553

Stuffed Baby Calamari

Instructions

Stuffed baby calamari and tomato sauce served with chilli and origanum cous cous.
Salt and pepper the heads and add a touch of Portuguese chicken spice too. Fry the heads in coconut oil until all the juice has evaporated.
Stuff calamari with feta, cream cheese garlic, zest of lemon, touch of chilli, and origanum and spring onion. I usually pan fry the stuffed calamari but I decided to try grilling in the oven. This works but be careful not to over do it. What you are looking for is the Calamari to become puffed up. 5 min (remember more details in the link above)
Make a Napolitana sauce with 1 onion finely chopped, 1 garlic Clove also finely chopped, salt pepper and 2 tins chopped tomatoes. Add handful of fresh origanum and tomato paste.
See how the calamari changed colour and plumped up. The filling also oozes out. I have used toothpicks to keep it all inside. I didn't bother here because it was just Brian and I.
Here I made a mistake. It's best to cover the calamari with the tomato sauce to stop it from over cooking when it's reheated in the oven. I thought it looked pretty for the photo but not practical. At this point cover with tinfoil and keep until ready to cook just before guests or family are ready to eat.
Bake to heat through for about 15 minutes.
How to make cous cous - add 1 cup cous cous to bowl
Add 1 heaped tsp of chicken stock
Add 1 tsp of salt and cracked pepper
Add 1 cup boiling water
Add very generous glug or 2 of olive oil fluff up with fork and leave for 20min
Cous cous can take on any flavour you like. It's so versatile and easy. This is one of my more simple versions and it goes very well with braaied fish too. Chilli origanum and olive oil
Add 1 heaped tsp of chopped chilli. (I blitz chillis in the blender add olive oil to get this consistancy, pour into glass jars, I never throw my glass containers away, and freeze until needed. don't forget to label)
Add handful of fresh origanum and about 1/4 cup of olive oil stir to combine all the flavours. Taste to check for seasoning
Serve with a big Greek salad
Enjoy and please let me know how yours turns out. For more step by step details click on the link at the top . Over the halfway mark of LOCK DOWN