Name: Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs; 1/3 cup whole milk; 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1/2 pound ground pork; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 teaspoon paprika (preferably pimentón dulce); 12 cleaned small (3-to 4-inch) squid bodies plus tentacles (about 1 pound total); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling; 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley; Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Roland Bello

Grilled squid is a revelation to people who have only encountered it fried—the sweet meat takes nicely to the smokiness of the coals, and a stuffing of homemade pork sausage gives it a whole new layer of interest. As the bundles cook, the fennel-scented sausage bastes the squid from within, keeping it from drying out.

Cook's Notes:

•If you can't get small squid, use larger ones and grill 15 to 18 minutes, then halve to serve.
•Squid can be cooked in a 2-burner grill pan.
•Squid can be stuffed 8 hours ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
•Any leftover stuffing can be added to pasta sauce.

Recipe information

Total Time
50 min
Yield
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup whole milk

3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 pound ground pork

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon paprika (preferably pimentón dulce)

12 cleaned small (3-to 4-inch) squid bodies plus tentacles (about 1 pound total)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Preparation

Step 1
Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.
Step 2
Toast fennel seeds in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Chop fennel seeds and add to bread-crumb mixture along with pork, garlic, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently mix with your hands until well blended. Using a small spoon, loosely stuff squid with fennel sausage, leaving a 1/2-inch space at top (you may have some stuffing left over). Seal tops using wooden picks.
Step 3
Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure .
Step 4
Coat stuffed squid and tentacles with oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Oil grill rack, then grill stuffed squid, turning frequently, until golden in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of filling registers 150 to 155°F, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Grill tentacles until opaque and curled, about 1 minute, then add to platter. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with parsley.