Spain Calamares en su Tinta (Calamari in Squid Ink Sauce)
Calamares en su tinta, also known as chipirones en su tinta, is a dish of squid served in its own ink. This Basque recipe includes squid stuffed with shrimp and vegetables in a sauce made with squid ink, which colors the whole dish black. Squid ink is briny and tangy, two flavors that perfectly complement stuffed seafood.
Recipe Servings: 6
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 4 medium onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 small green pepper
- 6 Tbsp (90 ml) olive oil
- 8 oz (225 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
- 32 oz (900 g) small squid, cleaned; wings and tentacles separated and chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) white wine
- 3 Tbsp (30 g) dry breadcrumbs
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato sauce
- ¼ cup (6 g) parsley, chopped
- 2 packets squid ink
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt, to taste
Directions
- Finely mince 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, and half the red pepper and green pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil.
- Sauté the vegetables until they are soft.
- Add the chopped shrimp and squid tentacles.
- Sauté briefly before adding the white wine, breadcrumbs, and 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce.
- Cook the mixture over low heat until the tentacles are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Sauce:
Roughly chop the remaining onion, garlic, red pepper, and green pepper and sauté in a pan with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil. - Add the chopped parsley and remaining tomato sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- In a small glass bowl, dilute the squid ink with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water.
- Add the diluted ink to the sauce, and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
- Carefully puree the hot sauce in a blender and set it aside.
- Squid:
Stuff each small squid with the filling and secure the edges together with a toothpick. - Roll the squid in flour and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil.
- Fry the stuffed squid until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve the squid and ink sauce over white rice.
Notes
Some cooks use other kinds of shellfish, such as scallops or clams, in the stuffing.
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