Cuttlefish with Spinach

Title:
Cuttlefish with Spinach

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Greek,
Seafood




Ingredients:





          Karen Mintzias


   750 g  Cuttlefish or squid


   1/3 c  Olive oil


          Water


          Salt


          Freshly ground black pepper


   750 g  Spinach


     1 c  Chopped spring onions


   1/2    Lemon (juice only)






 Cuttlefish (soupies) as distinct from squid (kalamaria) are preferred for


 this dish, though either may be used. Cleaning cuttlefish can be a rather


 messy business as these marine molluscs have an ink sac from which the


 pigment sepia is obtained.  The sac ruptures easily and is usually ruptured


 by the time you purchase them, so don't be put off by their colour ~ the


 ink rinses off easily.


 


 Rinse cuttlefish or squid and remove head, attached tentacles and


 intestines; discard intestines.  Pull out cuttle bone or fine transparent


 bone if squid is being prepared. Pull off fine skin and rinse. Remove eyes


 and beak from head, leave head attached to tentacles and pull or rub off


 skin from tentacles, or as much skin as will easily come off.


 


 Slice hood or body into strips.  If squid are large, slice head and


 tentacles - cuttlefish tentacles are usually small and these are left


 intact.  Place prepared cuttlefish or squid in pan and set on medium heat.


 Cover and cook for 15 minutes in its own juice. Add half the oil, just


 enough water to cover, and salt and pepper to taste, cover and simmer


 gently for 45 minutes or until tender.


 


 Meanwhile trim spinach and wash thoroughly.  Drain well and chop leaves and


 stalks coarsely.


 


 Heat remaining oil in a separate pan and gently fry spring onion until


 soft, add spinach and stir over heat until it wilts. Add spinach mixture to


 cuttlefish or squid with lemon juice and adjust seasonings with salt and


 pepper.  Cover and simmer for further 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.


 


 From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos. ISBN: 1 86302 069


 1


 


 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini