Greek stuffed calamari

Name: Greek stuffed calamari
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 700 g calamari tubes - thawed, cleaned and dried; 150 g streaky bacon snipped into pieces; 1 brown onion diced; 3 celery stalks finely chopped; 1 tsp each onion flakes, garlic and ginger minced; 1 can chopped tomato; 15 g garlic tomato paste; 50 ml ouzo; 50 ml Greek olive oil; Herb flavored cream cheese; 3 sprigs thyme - leaves picked

Aislin @cook_7588747

Greek inspired calamari with flavours of bacon and cream cheese stuffing in a rich ouzo and tomato sauce- take me the islands 🌴 !

Aislin @cook_7588747

Greek inspired calamari with flavours of bacon and cream cheese stuffing in a rich ouzo and tomato sauce- take me the islands 🌴 !

Saved

Ingredients

700 gcalamari tubes - thawed, cleaned and dried
150 gstreaky bacon snipped into pieces
1brown onion diced
3celery stalks finely chopped
1 tspeach onion flakes, garlic and ginger minced
1 canchopped tomato
15 ggarlic tomato paste
50 mlouzo
50 mlGreek olive oil
Herb flavored cream cheese
3 sprigsthyme - leaves picked

Saved

Steps

1

Clean calamari tubes really well- ensure all skin and spines removed
2

Heat some olive oil in a heavy base pan and fry onions with celery, garlic and ginger and bacon until well done.
3

Add warm mixture to cream cheese and blend well with a fork
4

Use a small spoon to stuff calamari tubes 3/4 full and pin ends closed with a toothpick
5

In same pan heat more olive oil and gently fry stuffed calamari in small batches for 2-3 minutes each side, remove from pan
6

After all calamari is done and removed from pan, add ouzo and deglaze pan for about 3 minutes
7

Scrape off all bacon and onion bits from the pan and add can of tomatoes and paste. Add thyme sprigs
8

Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until sauce is nice and thick
9

Return calamari to the pan and simmer covered for a further 20 min
10

The calamari tubes will plump up in the sauce.
11

Serve with some polenta or mashed potatoes and a nice shot of ouzo
12

Enjoy and Opa!