I enjoy fried calamari when it shows up on a restaurant snack menu but have always been leery of cooking it at home. I have read so much about the difficulties of getting the cooking time right and of the rubber qualities inherent in badly cooked squid that, even as a committed home cook, I have deliberately avoided it.
A couple of months ago I attempted octopus for the first time (also an ingredient that I had pussy footed around for years) and, not only was it incredibly simple to prepare, it was truly delicious. This gave me the confidence to try squid but please note that I started my culinary journey with a braised squid recipe which I thought would be easier to get right than quick deep frying. I plan on working my way up to the crunchy goodness of fried calamari...
And I was right because squid cooked this way is utterly tender and delicious. I was inspired by a NYT's recipe (linked below) but wanted mine to be more about the squid, less about the stock so I adapted it. I That being said, the stock was delicious; there was very little of it so the sweetness of the vegetable juices really shone through and highlighted the squid. I also cut out a lot of what I saw as unnecessary faff in the NYT recipe. Try one or the other of these recipes though, as you will become a squid at home fan too!
2 lbs squid (I buy mine from a lovely company in Montauk that sells them pre-cleaned, with all the tentacles neatly lined up on one side of the package and the bodies, ready for slicing into rings, on the other)
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds
2 turnips, peeled, halved and cut int thin half moons
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, left whole
1 red onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin half moons
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
large pinch saffron threads
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
Salt
Cut all of your vegetables. Slice your squid into rings.
Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, saffron and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Salt liberally.
Pour in the wine and the water, stir well.
Add the turnips, carrots, squid and tomatoes. Stir well. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring half way through.
At the half way mark, add the chopped parsley, stir well.
Check for seasoning and enjoy, either as an appetizer or with couscous or quinoa.
Inspiration recipe, here.