Linda Pugliese/
Linda used to assist a photographer I worked with a few times. A while
back I met her in the elevator at Martha Stewart and she asked me if
she could work for Sweet Paul. I love working with new talent. There
is always beautiful light in her work and you can sense that she has a
true passion for food and photography.
“It’s my favorite part
of Christmas.”
Grilled Squid Stuffed with Crab
“It’s my favorite part of Christmas.”
Serves 6 as a second course
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted
then ground in a mortar and pestle
1⁄
3 cup pine nuts, toasted then
smashed
1⁄
2 lb lump crab meat
11⁄
2 cups dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in
1⁄
2, then cut into slices
12 whole squid, cleaned
12 toothpicks
glugg of extra virgin olive oil
1⁄
4 cup golden raisins, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon salted capers, soaked
and rinsed
Stuffing:
1. Place unsalted butter in a pan on
medium low heat.
2. When melted, add
the onion and fennel seeds. Add a pinch
of salt and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or
until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the
pine nuts and crab.
4. Bring the heat
up to medium and stir to incorporate
all ingredients.
5. Pour in
1⁄
2 cup of wine
and squeeze in juice of
1⁄
2 a lemon.
6. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so, until
the alcohol has cooked off.
7. Taste for
salt and season as necessary.
8. Allow
to cool slightly before stuffing. Stuffing
may be made up to one day ahead.
Squid:
9. Get a cast-iron grill pan heating on
high heat.
10. Fill squid with the stuffing
leaving 1 inch at the top empty.
11. Use
the toothpicks to close up the open end.
12. Brush both sides with olive oil and
season with salt.
13. When the grill pan
is letting off some smoke, coat it with
olive oil all over, using a paper towel
and tongs or a brush.
14. Grill the sliced
lemons, about 1 minute on each side.
15. Grill the squid for about
11⁄
2 minutes
on each side. Set aside.
16. In a pan add
1 cup wine and the golden raisins.
17. Cook on medium high until the wine
is reduced by a little more than half.
18. Lower heat to medium, and add the
capers and the stuffed squid.
19. Cook
for a minute, basting the squid with the
sauce.
20. Taste for salt and season as
necessary.
*Serve with grilled lemons and drizzled
with the best extra virgin olive oil you
have on hand.
