Risotto stuffed squid with tomato, brandy and cream sauce

Name: Risotto stuffed squid with tomato, brandy and cream sauce
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: olive oil; 400g banana shallots, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 carrots, finely chopped; 1 head fennel, roots left intact; 1 red chilli, finely chopped; 6 tbsp brandy; 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 50g butter; 140g arborio rice; 4 large or 8 small (approx 850g total in weight squid, tentacles and bodies left whole; a pinch (optional) saffron; 750ml chicken stock, hot; large handful parsley, roughly chopped; 3 tbsp double cream

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time2 hrs
A little effort
Serves 4

Ingredients

olive oil
400g banana shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 head fennel, roots left intact
1 red chilli, finely chopped
6 tbsp brandy
2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes
50g butter
140g arborio rice
4 large or 8 small (approx 850g total in weight squid, tentacles and bodies left whole
a pinch (optional) saffron
750ml chicken stock, hot
large handful parsley, roughly chopped
3 tbsp double cream

Method

STEP 1
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a casserole dish. Add ⅔ of the shallots, most of the garlic and the carrots. Cook for 15 minutes until soft. Tip in the fennel and chilli and cook for a few minutes more. Add the brandy and boil until almost reduced to nothing. Pour over the tomatoes, plus half a tin of water. Simmer for 5 minutes, turn off and leave until ready to use.
STEP 2
Meanwhile, in another frying pan, melt the butter and stir in the remaining shallots and garlic. Cook gently for around 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the rice and toast for a minute. Add the chopped squid and saffron and cook for a minute more. Now add the stock, incorporating a small ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition, until the liquid has been absorbed. If you run out of stock, use a little hot water instead. When the rice is just tender, remove from heat. Season and stir though most of the parsley.
STEP 3
Spoon the rice into the squid, leaving a bit of space at the top. Lightly shake the bodies to make sure the filling reaches the tip. Secure the opening with a couple of cocktail sticks or a small bamboo skewer. Push the squid and tentacles into the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir carefully once or twice. Remove the lid and cook for 20 minutes more.
STEP 4
Lift the squid out and put to one side. Add the cream to the sauce and bubble for a few minutes until thick. Put the squid back in to heat through. Season, remove the sticks and sprinkle with the remaining parsley to serve.