Risotto stuffed squid with tomato, brandy and cream sauce

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.