Stuffed Squid in Wine and Tomato Broth

Separate the head and the tentacles from the body of the squid by pulling, Remove the purplish skin and fins from the central body by pulling. They should come off easily. Turn the saclike body inside out to wash it. You will notice that there is a soft bone or plastic like piece, called the “pan,” which you should also discard. Wash well and turn the body back to its original shape.

Cut the beak and head from the tentacles. The beak will pop out when you apply pressure to the head. Discard the beak and head. Coarsely chop the tentacles.

Stuffing: Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the onions and sautÈ 1 minute. Add the chopped tentacles, garlic, and mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture stiffens and the liquid is almost completely reduced. Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly. Add the breadcrumbs and toss lightly.

Spoon the stuffing into a pastry bag without any tube and stuff the bodies of the squid, leaving a bit or room so that the bodies don’t burst when cooked.

Scatter the tomatoes, onion and garlic over the bottom of a large saucepan and place the stuffed squid on top, arranging them so the closed or side of a squid is pushed against the open side of the another squid to block the opening and keep the stuffing from falling out while the squid cooks. (Alternatively, you can secure the open ends with a toothpick; remove before serving.) Sprinkle with wine and saffron. Lay a piece of buttered parchment paper over the squid, cover the pan, and bring to barely a simmer (about 100 degrees) over low heat. Cook 15 minutes. The liquid must not boil; if the temperature is too high, the squid will burst.

Remove squid to a serving platter or gratin dish. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and set aside. Reduce the juices in the pan on top of the stove to about 1 ? cups. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Add any juices that have accumulated on the serving platter, or the sauce will be too thick. Pour the sauce over the squid, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.