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Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto

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I can still taste the first time we ate these, on the streets of Rome in a small trattoria in Trastevere, you know the ones, down the last alley on the right, dimly lite and a table or two sitting in front of modest facia. These are ALWAYS the best “stumbles”, they NEVER disappoint and we seem to end up back there at least another night, or two, or three. On this trip, I think it was three. We became known enough to have a table reserved for the following evening, same one, in front, with a red tablecloth and a candelabra. I know there are a million of these in Rome but it didn’t matter because this one hit a magical note.

When we sat down to this meal I honestly thought that maybe I didn’t get the memo that I had ordered my last meal of my life….I would have been okay with that, really. It was 4 courses of sheer bliss and this was just one of of the many delicious delectables. We started with freshly forged mushrooms and baby potatoes sautéed in butter and served with crostini and then moved onto homemade pasta with freshly shaved truffles from Alba and then onto the infamous calamari dish and only to finish off with the BEST tiramisu and espresso I have ever had. Oh did I mention the  amazing wine with every course?  Now you get why I would have been fine with this being my last meal.

I don’t know what it is about Italian Cuisine, maybe it’s the way a tall dark handsome man comes to your table and explains the dishes with a gorgeous accent while passionately gesturing every word with his hands as though they are his backup singers for his musical gig or if it is the fact you are in one of the most incredible cities in the world without a care or a concern or perhaps its the fact they use nothing but the local, freshest, and best ingredients. All I know is that I still think about this dish and Italy.

So we took the table and the handsome waiter approaches welcoming us to the trattoria and whisping us away with his explanation of  the featured dishes. He used words like bellissima and succulento (secretly I’m thinking he must be talking about me) and instead I quickly realize he is speaking about a calamari tube. Time to snap back to reality.

You might be wondering why I choose the calamari dish to highlight and honestly, this was the dish I sincerely wondered if it was as good as he explained or was it his explanation and fab accent? I mean we all know that calamari, especially the tubes, can get really rubbery if  not cooked correctly and then the dish has the consistency of a tire.

Whatever it was, him, the words, or Rome (probably all 3), I ordered the calamari. It was everything he said and then some. Stuffed with risotto and then grilled to perfection topped with local, freshly pressed olive oil with enough at the bottom of the dish to mop up with some home made bread from the antique wooden oven next door. Oh yes, and that fabulous glass of house made wine….I forgot to mention how he explained that, I was ready to spend the night in the cellar.

So here’s my version of  one of “the unknown last supper” dishes. I changed up the risotto to include chorizo as I love it with seafood as it adds a incredible dimension to the flavor profile. I hope you enjoy it as much as I and even though I can’t superimpose the Italian waiter or Rome for that matter, I’ll dig up a photo for you to transport yourself…….

I never should have doubted the kings of cuisine…….

The red tablecloth and candelabra…

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Buon Appetito!

Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto
 
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The key is to be careful not to overcook the squid as it can easily become to "tough and rubbery". Serve with a simple arugula salad, crusted bread and a glass of pinot grigio or rose and transport yourself…..
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 calamari tubes
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
  • pinch of saffron (put in stock)
  • ½ cup cured chorizo, diced*(hot or mild or combo)
  • ½ cup sweet onion, diced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Rinse the calamari "tubes" and pat dry
  2. On stovetop, heat chicken broth until warm and add saffron
  3. In a medium stockpot, heat oil and add chorizo.
  4. Saute until juices release a bit and then add onion, sauté until transparent and add garlic.
  5. Stir and add rice.
  6. Add wine and allow to absorb into rice
  7. Begin to add stock, ½ a cup at a time until it absorbs into rice (don't fully allow the rice to get "dry" before adding more stock. Stir constantly.
  8. Taste rice and it should be "al dente". Consistency will be creamy but not "gooey". This is KEY to a good risotto
  9. Add parmigiano-reggiano and butter.
  10. Open Calamari tubes and fill about ¾ full with risotto mixture. Fold over and seal with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining calamari.
  11. Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  12. Heat grill to medium and place calamari directly onto grill. Cook for a total of about 5 minutes turning over to get even grill marks on each side.
  13. Serve immediately.

 

Fish Tacos!

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For me, they first time I had a love affair with the mahi mahi was in Cancun, Mexico. No, I wasn’t on a wild spring break fling but coming through off of a cruise ship excursion. We had been on the high seas for about 4 days I think and had my fill of the endless buffet gorging festivities backed by the crew making sure my wine glass NEVER hit under half full. It is certain you will never starve on a cruise ship or be sober, quite a makeup for the ultimate vacation extravaganza.

Needless to say, I was ready for something fresh, of excellent quantity, local, and away from the floating city on the sea. I was longing for a table just for the two of us instead of two thousand of my now closest friends.

Because my better half can speak Spanish, we were able to find some locals to strike up a friendly conversation and learn about the happening hotspots where tourists don’t trespass. Apparently, we passed some sort of test that got us carte blanche service inclusive of an escort taking us to the secret location where my love affair began.

We arrived at the locale and I looked to Enrique and said, “we are never going to make it alive, he has taken us to our demise.” The building was wooden, almost like a barn, worn down and with two huge doors and no outside windows. He opened the rickety old door and bowed down waving us through as if we were entering his personal castle. We reluctantly entered and the closing of the door sealed our fate, we were in and no turning back.

Apparently someone had phoned ahead to expect us because as soon as the door slammed, Jose the proprietor greeted us with a welcome hug. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw there were actually tables and people in them, laughing. Okay, this was an eating establishment. Whew…

Jose led us through the maze of tables and suddenly we around a corner and both of us gasped in disbelief, the restaurant opened to the whitest beach I had ever seen leading into the endless aqua blue Caribbean Ocean. Dotted all along the beach front were palapas with white wicker tables and chairs and each one had it’s own waiter/waitress. If you wished, you could chose to have a massage while enjoying the view, after all the table was yours for the afternoon. We froze in awe, no wonder this was disguised as a warehouse; the entire country would descend daily to drink in the perfection. How did hit this jackpot?

At this point, I don’t think either of us cared if the food was good and probably would have been fine missing the sailing time; this was heavens oasis and we were going to stay to the very last possible moment. We traded off with a massage between our starter of mariscos and the main event of fish tacos. I sipped a cerveza and the sea breeze kept us cool and refreshed, it was simply magical.

We were so lost in time that we almost forgot the whole reason for the excursion, to experience the renowned fish tacos. It was time and we were ready. We were given two choices, either grilled or fried and we decided on one of each.

They arrived on a simple black platter, piled on house made corn tortillas and a plethora of fresh garnishing’s from the owners garden. Red and green cabbage tossed with a little limejuice, roasted corn and bell peppers, sautéed green onion with jalapeno, and queso fresco. The sauce was a simple tomato wonder and complemented everything perfectly. This is as close to paradise as I will ever get…

So here is my rendition of the dish. I chose to do a marinade on the fish to mimic the spice and depth of flavor I remembered on those sandy shores of Mexico. I finish it off in the oven to ensure the fish stays moist and flake and the rest is up to you to decide…..

Enjoy your trip to the Caribbean Sea and make sure you take in a cerveza or two….

Fish Tacos!
 
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Here Fishy Fishy! What is better than a FABULOUS fish taco on a warm summer evening with a cold cerveza, some great music and lots of friends and laughter? Personally, it is one of ALL time favorite meals! Light but flavorful, healthy and quick to prepare. All it takes is a perfect combination of fish, garnish, and salsa…….and your imagination! (Of course, a seaside backdrop doesn't hurt)!
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Tacos:
  • 1 pound white flaky fish, such as mahi mahi or orata
  • ⅛ cup canola oil
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
  • 1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Garnish:
  • shredded napa cabbage
  • queso fresco
  • 1 bunch thinly sliced green onion
  • 1 corn, grilled and cut off cob
  • 2 bell peppers, red and orange, diced
  • chopped cilantro leaves
  • roasted tomato salsa, recipe follows
  • Roasted tomato salsa:
  • 6-8 tomatoes, placed on parchment paper and on cookie sheet
  • 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place fish on a medium size pan with sides. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, chipotle, jalapeno, and cilantro and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. While fish is marinating, cook corn on grill and take off cob. Heat a sauté pan over medium and add a little oil, green onion, and bell pepper. Cook until blistered and season with salt and pepper, add corn.
  3. Put in oven and cook the fish for 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork.
  4. Place the tortillas stovetop and grill both sides for 30 seconds
  5. Roasted Tomato Salsa:
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put tomatoes on a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes or until soft. P Heat oil in medium saucepan, add onions and garlic and cook until soft. In a food processor, add tomatoes and onion and garlic mixture and puree until smooth, salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Assembly tacos by dividing tortillas among plates, put fish on top and then garnish with desired toppings and roasted tomato salsa.