Campfire Squid
Submitted by alicepearl2001
Ink-stuffed squid seared over campfire coals with garlic, lemon, paprika, and rice. Inspired by a Catalina Island beach cook from Jean-Michel Cousteau. Rustic, bold seafood.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minThis recipe comes straight from a beach on Catalina Island, where Jean-Michel Cousteau showed how to turn fresh-caught squid into something extraordinary with just a skillet and some coals.
The squid get stuffed with their own ink mixed into rice, chopped legs, and a sautéed onion mixture that smells like the Mediterranean.
Seared golden on all sides, then nestled over a bed of rice to finish cooking, every bite is briny, smoky, and deeply savory.
It works just as well on a stovetop at home as it does over a campfire, so don’t let the name stop you.
Pro Tips
- Save the ink sac carefully. It’s fragile. Squeeze gently into a small bowl and mix with flour to form a paste that binds the stuffing.
- Don’t overstuff the squid. They shrink as they cook, so leave a little room. Overpacked squid will burst open in the pan.
- Secure with wooden picks, not metal. Toothpicks or small wooden skewers work best and won’t conduct heat.
Ingredients
Directions
Squid was prepared this way for us on the beach on Catalina Island.
Created by: Jean-Michel Cousteau.
Clean squid.
Separate head from body, reserving legs and ink sac.
Chop legs and reserve.
Squeeze ink from sac into small bowl and reserve ink.
Remove quill from body and peel off outer skin of squid.
Set squid aside Heat half of oil in large skillet over medium coals or on stovetop. Add onion, garlic, lemon, bay leaves, thyme and paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent. Mix ink with flour to make paste. Add chopped legs, half of onion mixture from pan and half of rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff squid with rice mixture and secure opening with wood picks. Heat remaining onion mixture in skillet. Place stuffed squid in pan and cook, turning often, until golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove squid and bay leaves and spread remaining rice in layer in pan. Arrange squid over rice, cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve squid over rice and garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.
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