Stuffed squids (Calamares rellenos)

In Spain we love squids and cuttlefish and we have many recipes with those funny looking cephalopodi. If you want to save time, try to buy the squids already clean, if not here is how you clean them. Not for weak souls, this is going to sound like Serial Killing 101. First, grasp the head of the squid and firmly but gently, pull it. Don't pull too hard or you may break the ink sac. In your hand you will have the head of the squid with the tentacles and the ink sac. Cut the tentacles from the head and in the center you will see and feel the beak of the squid; just squeeze it and it will pop out. Rinse the tentacles and set them aside. Set the ink aside too, you can freeze it in a small Ziploc bag to use with other dishes, like Black Rice. Peel the outer skin with your hand, just pull it down like a sock. Feel inside the top of the squid and you will find a hard piece of cartilage, just pull it out. Then, rinse the body with cold water, especially inside, making sure it is clean. I will give two versions of the recipe, one with tuna and one with ground beef.  

Ingredients:

        To stuff with tuna

* 6 tiny squids or 4 medium ones

* 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

* 1 cup crushed tomato

* 1 can of tuna in water or in olive oil
* 1/2 cup of popcorn shrimps

* 1 boiled egg, minced

* 1 egg 
* 1/2 cup all purpose white flour

* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* Pinch of salt

* Pinch of black pepper

* Olive oil

        To stuff with beef

* 6 tiny squids or 4 medium ones

* 1/2 medium onion, minced

* 1 cup crushed tomato

* 1/4 pound ground beef
* 1/4 pound ground pork
* 1 boiled egg, minced

* 1 egg 
* 1/2 cup all purpose white flour

* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* Pinch of salt

* Pinch of black pepper

* Olive oil

Clean the squids. Heat the oil in a frying pan and once hot, over medium heat, sautee the onion. Once it gets color, add the tomato, sautee 3 minutes and add the tuna and shrimps (or the beef and the pork, depending on what version you are cooking) Cook the tuna and shrimps for 5 minutes (or if it is the ground beef and pork until they get color) and set aside. Add the boiled egg to the mixture and stuff the squids. Secure the opening with a toothpick. Beat the egg and in a separate dish mix the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper. Dip the squids in egg, roll them in the flour mix and fry them in hot oil over medium heat, until the batter looks gold and crunchy. 

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Libritos (boneless porkchops with cheese and ham)

A winner with kids and very easy to prepare. I am using Swiss cheese in my recipe, but you can switch it by Provolone, American, Gruyere or any other type of cheese you like. Even when we call it "libritos" (little books) it is a type of pork cordon bleu. It can be served with a side of crunchy french fries or glazed little carrots.

Ingredients:

* 2 boneless pork chops

* 4 thin slices of Swiss cheese

* 2 thin slices of any type of ham you like

* 1/2 cup of bread crumbs

* 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

* 1 egg

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Olive oil

* 4 toothpicks

Butterfly the pork chops with a sharp knife (slit the meat halfway through the thickness, almost cutting it through but don't cut it completely, stop when you can "open" the meat like a book). Inside the pork chop, lay one piece of cheese, one piece of ham, another piece of cheese, close the meat and secure it with a pair of toothpicks. Beat the egg in a shallow plate and in another plate mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Season the pork with salt and pepper, dip it in egg and roll it in crumbs, covering it well. Heat the oil in a pan and when it is very hot, put the pork chops in the pan and lower the heat to medium low. Fry the pork until it looks golden and crunchy. Remember to remove the toothpicks before eating! :o)

Preparation time: 30 minutes