8 Squid

1/4 cup Olive oil

1/2 cup Chopped onion

2 Garlic cloves -- chopped

1/2 Lemon -- chopped

4 Bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon Dried thyme -- crushed

1 dash Paprika

Salt -- pepper 1 tablespoon Flour

4 cups Cooked rice

Parsley sprigs (optional) Lemon wedges (optional)

Squid was prepared this way for us on the beach on Catalina Island. Created by: Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Clean squid. Separate head from body, reserving legs and ink sac. Chop legs and reserve. Squeeze ink from sac over small bowl and reserve ink. Remove quill from body and peel off outer skin of squid. Set squid aside. Heat half of oil in large skillet over medium coals or on stovetop. Add onion, garlic, lemon, bay leaves, thyme and paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent. Mix ink with flour to make paste. Add chopped legs, half of onion mixture from pan and half of rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff squid with rice mixture and secure opening with wood picks. Heat remaining onion mixture in skillet. Place stuffed squid in pan and cook, turning often, until golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove squid and bay leaves and spread remaining rice in layer in pan. Arrange squid over rice, cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve squid over rice and garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.

(C) 1992 The Los Angeles Times