Spanish Rice with Calamari

This Spanish Rice and Calamari dish is a winner with both children and parents and is a great, lean protein option. It fits around many cultural food restrictions, aligning nicely with Lifelong Learning Centres' Healthy Communities,Healthy World and Healthy Bodies programs.

Don't be fooled by the fact it’s seafood and expect it to blow the budget. With Frozen Squid tubes from Coles being just $11.00 per Kilo this meal is costed up at only $1.35 per serve. You can swap out some ingredients for cheaper options and the costing can be decreased more if needed to fit the budget. 

This recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients

• 50g brown onion, peeled

• 35g cauliflower

• 1x pinch parsely

• 1x garlic clove, fresh, peeled

• 100g frozen green peas

• 100g mixed frozen vegetables

• 55g red capsicum

• 150g tomatoes 

• 160g canned chickpeas, drained

• ⅓ kiwifruit, peeled

• 250g white rice, uncooked, dry

• 400g squid or calamari, fresh/frozen

• 1 tsp smoked paprika, ground

• ½ stock cube, unspecified 

• 1 tbs pure olive oil

Method

1. Defrost, Rinse and slice squid tubes. 

2. Blend Kiwifruit into a pulp and combine with Calamari as a marinade. (Best done day before)

3. Rinse Squid from marinade and let drain. 

4. Saute Onion, Garlic, tomato and capsicum then put aside. 

5. If using Aborio rice treat similar to risotto. 

6. Finely dice Cauliflower and Parsley. 

7. Combine all ingredients and add enough hot stock or water to ensure rice is cooked. 

8. Cover in trays and cook in the oven or for small batches cook on stove top like traditional Risotto. 

9. For a Vegetarian option make the same dish without the Squid tubes and add a larger quantity of plant based protein like Chickpeas, Lentils or even Baked Beans. (Ensuring a Vegetable stock is used) 

Nutritional Facts

Thanks Daniel Try - Cook at Kids Academy Hornsby -  for the awesome recipe idea! 

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