Succulent tender squid stuffed with chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, pimientoes and squid heads, then grilled to perfection.
To make sure that the squid remains tender and juicy, do not overcook them.
- 1/2 kilogram whole squids
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 roasted bell pepper
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Clean the squids. Holding the tentacles, pull out the head. Cut off the intestines and the eyes. Remove the backbone. Pull off the skin (see illustrated instructions). Wash the cavity under running water. Sprinkle inside and with salt and pepper.
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Finely chop trimmed squid heads, bell pepper, onion and tomatoes. Mix with garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
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Stuff each squid with the chopped vegetables mixture. Push the mixture inside the cavity with your finger. Secure the opening with a toothpick.
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Grill squids about 6 inches above live coals (f you place them lower, the outside might be burned before the inside in fully cooked), about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The best way to do it is to roll the squids while cooking to make sure that they are evenly cooked.
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Remove toothpicks before serving the grilled stuffed squids.
If you are cooking for just a few people and you feel that grilling the squid over live coals is too much bother, you can cook your stuffed squid in a skillet.
To do this: Heat a heavy skillet. The best would be a cast iron skillet. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter or margarine and pan-fry the stuffed squid over medium-high heat. Roll the squid in the butter or margarine as they cook. Since butter and margarine burn faster than cooking oil, the squid may look very brown outside while still not fully cooked inside.
To test the squid for doneness, make a small slit on the thickest part of the biggest squid. If the fat is still transparent, continue cooking for a minute or so longer.
