Kalamarakia jemisto

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 m.-sized squid(s), (tubes with tentacles) about 800 g
• 200 g onion(s)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp currants, small ones, not raisins, they swell too much!
• 70 g rice (long grain rice)
• some salt and pepper, black from the mill
• 2 pinches of cinnamon
• 1 sprig(s) of mint, if you can’t get it fresh, I leave it out
• ¼ liter red wine, dry
• ½ tsp honey
• ½ bunch parsley
• 1 bunch of dill

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Stuffed squid, takes some time. Family recipe from Athens.

Prepare the squid for cooking. Cut the tentacles off the tubes. Rinse the tubes thoroughly and peel off the reddish skin. Wash the tentacles and cut into pieces. Finely chop the onions. Fry half of the onions in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add the tentacle pieces and fry briefly. Stir in the pine nuts, currants, and rice and fry for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and washed and finely chopped mint (if using). Pour in enough water to just cover. Cover and cook over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, then let cool. Fill the tubes with the mixture and carefully secure with wooden skewers or toothpicks. Now fry the other half of the onions in 3 tablespoons of oil until translucent. Add the red wine and 1/4 liter of water, bring to a boil with salt, honey, and pepper, and season to taste. Place the filled tubes in the pot, cover, and cook over low heat for 50-60 minutes. They’re done when you can easily pierce them! Wash the parsley and dill, shake them dry, and chop them. Sprinkle them over the squid tubes about 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking. Serve with fresh white bread.