Do you have a favorite ingredient?  Your go-to ingredient in a pinch?  Something you feel eminently excited about?

For me, squid often finds its way into my weekly cooking repertoire.  Squid are plentiful, affordable, and, depending on the preparation, take only a few minutes to cook.  Something I can grab on my way home from work and have a meal on the table in minutes (especially if you buy them already cleaned).  And yes, even someone who is constantly thinking about food has trouble figuring out what to make for dinner on a daily basis.

At a minimum, squid need but a few minutes in a smoking hot wok or skillet.  One of my favorite preparations, which also happens to be super simple — grilled whole squid (wood charcoal preferably), tender to perfection, drizzled with an olive oil-lemon-oregano dressing.

Looking back on previous posts, there have been a good number of squid dishes over the years: quick wok-fired squid dish with greens; squid with cherry tomatoes and sherry; squid in it’s own ink; Zuni braised squid; squid and white beans with a balsamic reduction; and this one.

The key to squid: They need either a quick saute in a hot pan or a long braise (anything in between and you’re left with rubbery cephalopods).  However, when cooked properly, squid are tender to the bite.  Perfect!

Squid are also ideal for stuffing.

Today, I stuffed the squid with rice, Spanish chorizo, toasted pine nuts, raisins, parsley, and the squid tentacles (squid stuffed with squid).  You can grill or pan-fry the squid until nicely browned, just a few minutes per side is all they need (make sure your pan is very hot and the squid are patted dry). Paired the squid with a roasted tomato salsa.

Squid + smoky, Spanish chorizo = happiness.  Life would be dull without chorizo. Very dull indeed.

A smoky, Spanish chorizo, a thing of beauty…

The tentacles (and wings) of the squid get chopped and mixed with the rice stuffing…

Alternatively, if you want to forgo the stuffing, you can prepare the rice filling, slice the squid into rings, saute the squid separately, and then add the sauteed squid to the rice filling.

Secure with a toothpick…

And, pan-fry or grill (a couple minutes per side)…remember, don’t overcook.

Stuffed Squid

1 pound of squid (bodies and tentacles); tentacles and wings chopped
1/2 cups cooked rice
2 teaspoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped Spanish chorizo
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the rice.  Drain.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the chorizo and cook, a minute or two, until browned and crispy.  Add the squid tentacles and cook another minute, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil, if needed, and saute the onions, pine nuts, and smoked paprika.  Saute until the onions are soft and translucent.  Add the onions to the bowl with the chorizo, along with the cooked rice, raisins, and parsley.  Set aside to cool.

Fill the squid bodies with the stuffing.  Secure with a toothpick.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on a grill pan or grill, or saute in a hot pan, about 2 minutes per side, turning the squid until nicely browned on all sides.  Remove from the heat.  With a sharp knife, make slits in the top of the squid, without cutting all the way through, so you can see the stuffing.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion/shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chile, minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Roast the tomatoes until tender and collapsed, about 15-20 minutes..

Heat the olive oil in a pan over low heat.  Add the onion/shallot, garlic, and chile, and sweat until the onion is soft.  Add the roasted tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.