Stuffed and Grilled Calamari Appetizer

Ingredients:

Filling

• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped into small pieces and washed well
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch red Chile flakes
• Juice of 1/2 small lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound raw prawns, chopped to the approximate size of garbanzo beans
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs

Calamari

• 1 pound Portico Classic Tubes and Tentacles, thawed
• Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce, recipe follows
• Fried Capers, recipe follows

Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce:

• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, heated
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Fried Capers:

• 1/2 cup capers
• 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil

Instructions:

For the filling:

1. Saute leeks in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat until softened, 7 to 10 minutes.Add shallot and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add wine,parsley, vinegar, tarragon, salt, chile flakes and lemon juice and turn heat to high. Cook until reduced 85 percent, 3 to 5 minutes
2. Turn heat to medium and add butter. Let melt, then add prawns. Cook, stirring, until just done, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in breadcrumbs to absorb any remaining liquids and remove from heat.
4. Transfer to a bowl and chill completely before stuffing calamari.

For the calamari:

1. Insert a funnel into the open end of a calamari.
2. Fill the funnel about halfway with the filling and push it into the calamari, filling it only three-quarters of the way full, to allow for shrinkage as it cooks. Use a toothpick to skewer the tentacles to the opening of the calamari. Repeat with remaining filling and calamari.
3. Preheat a grill or saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the calamari, 2 minutes per side.
4. Arrange grilled calamari on a serving dish and serve with warm Roasted Yellow Bell Sauce and sprinkled with Fried Capers.

Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce: yields 1 1/2 cups

1. Roast pepper on open flame of stove top burner, turning as outside blackens, until roasted on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool for 5 minutes.Remove outer burnt skin of pepper, cut into quarters and remove stem and seeds.
2. Place pepper in a small food processor.
3. Steep garlic in hot cream for 2 minutes, then add to processor. Add butter, parsley,shallot, vinegar, salt and lemon juice and process to make a smooth puree.

Fried Capers: yields 1/2 cup

1. Rinse capers with water, then squeeze with hands to express any juices. Drain very well.
2. Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a small saucepan over medium heat. Carefully add capers to hot oil and fry until darkened in color and capers have become crispy, approximately 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.