Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari

italian pork appetizer quick & easy backyard bbq sausage squid summer grill grill/barbecue breadcrumbs gourmet sugar conscious peanut free tree nut free soy free

Kay Chun

Makes 8 servings

Source

Ingredients

3/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup whole milk

3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 pound ground pork

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon paprika (preferably pimentón dulce)

12 cleaned small (3-to 4-inch) squid bodies plus tentacles (about 1 pound total)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Method

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.

Toast fennel seeds in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Chop fennel seeds and add to bread-crumb mixture along with pork, garlic, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently mix with your hands until well blended. Using a small spoon, loosely stuff squid with fennel sausage, leaving a 1/2-inch space at top (you may have some stuffing left over). Seal tops using wooden picks.

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure .

Coat stuffed squid and tentacles with oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Oil grill rack, then grill stuffed squid, turning frequently, until golden in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of filling registers 150 to 155°F, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Grill tentacles until opaque and curled, about 1 minute, then add to platter. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with parsley.

Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07