Barbecued squid filled with spinach and feta
23 Oct 2024
This Lyndey Milan recipe is from Lyndey & Blair’s Taste of Greece Book (Hardie Grant RRP $39.95).
Lyndey is a popular, experienced international tour host and you can join her on one of her Culinary & Cultural Tours in Morocco 30 April – 11 May or Puglia (Italy) 13 – 20 May.
Kalamária yemísta may spanáki kai féta, stí skára
Every Mediterranean cuisine has a version of stuffed squid. These ingredients make this version Greek.
Serves 4
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 9 minutes
Ingredients:
8 small calamari (squid) (approx 80g each)
2 cups (about 100g) baby spinach leaves
250g feta, crumbled
¼ cup (55g) pine nuts, toasted
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oregano leaves, finely chopped
½ cup dill leaves, chopped
Finely grated rind from one lemon
Freshly ground pepper, to season
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Lemon juice, to serve
Method:
- Clean calamari by gently pulling on the tentacles to remove them. Remove the clear quill from the body, and dark membrane and discard. Remove side flaps and chop finely with the tentacles. Reserve. Rinse calamari hoods well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Blanch the spinach and squeeze dry. Crumble the feta into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the spinach, pine nuts, garlic, green onions, oregano, dill, lemon rind and reserved chopped calamari, season well with pepper, stir to mix.
- Fill the calamari with the spinach and feta mixture, take care not to overstuff them. Use a toothpick on each calamari to secure the opening.
- To cook calamari, preheat a barbecue flat-plate or non-stick frying pan to hot. Brush calamari with a little olive oil, cook the calamari for about 3 minutes each side, turning them so all sides are browned and filling is heated through. Drizzle with a little lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil to serve.
Recipe from Lyndey & Blair’s Taste of Greece
Lyndey Milan OAM aims to inspire, nourish and connect people. A familiar face on television and in print, she has been instrumental in changing the way Australians think about food and wine for four decades via her own nine best-selling cookbooks, nine international TV series and influence as former Food Director of the iconic Australian Women’s Weekly. She is an award-winning multi-media presenter, MC, speaker, food & wine teacher, consultant, debater, judge and regional Australian specialist who makes numerous TV & culinary appearances.
With a profile beyond Australia, she is a popular international tour host and will be returning to Morocco and Puglia in 2024. She also works as an enrichment speaker on cruises.
Lyndey is a key contributor to Selector magazine, writes freelance, has reviewed for the Good Food Guide since 1987. A Councillor of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW where she was the first female Vice-President. She is Co-Founder and Patron of Tasting Success, a mentoring programme for female chefs, an Ambassador for the Leukaemia Foundation, Cure Cancer and is active with many other charities.
Please visit lyndeymilan.com for more information.
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