There is more to calamari than just cutting them into little rings and deep-frying them. The bodies of calamari make the perfect little sausage casings and absolutely add more flavor. If you don’t like the heat, substitute the spicy chorizo sausage for either ground pork or some mild Italian sausage. The result will still be unique and tasty!
• Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Calamari
10–12 calamari tubes
1/4 pound chorizo, loose or cut from casings
1/4 cup crabmeat
1 large egg
1 tablespoon almond meal
Pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 cup water
Sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, including juice
2 teaspoons honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 Rinse calamari tubes and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine chorizo, crab, egg, almond meal, salt, and diced shallot. Transfer mixture to a piping bag or plastic bag. Cut the tip off large enough for the mixture to pass through. Pipe sausage into calamari tubes. Fasten opening with a toothpick.
2 Add water to the Instant Pot® and insert steamer basket. Place stuffed calamari in an even row on steamer basket. Lock lid. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust time to 3 minutes. When timer beeps, quick-release pressure until float valve drops and then unlock lid.
3 Remove steamer basket with the calamari from the pot and discard liquid. Add crushed tomatoes and juice to the Instant Pot®. Stir in honey, garlic, and salt. Add stuffed calamari. Sauté 2–3 minutes until sauce is warmed through and the internal temperature of the stuffed calamari reaches at least 160°F.
4 Remove toothpicks. Garnish with chives. Serve warm as a main course or as an appetizer.