Advertisement

Food & Drink

Secret Ingredient: Calamari

Rating: NNNNN


Over the past few years, calamari has become one of the most popular items on Toronto restaurant menus. Grilled, stuffed or deep-fried, calamari — the mollusc formerly known as squid — is best when it’s barely cooked, a fact that escapes many chefs, who turn the poor creature into the culinary equivalent of a rubber tire. Here’s a recipe from TV cook Mario Batali that keeps the calamari-cookin’ to a bare minimum: Two Minute Sicilian Lifeguard-Style Calamari. In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil until just smoking. Add 2 tablespoons each of pine nuts and currants, and 1 tablespoon of hot chili flakes. Saute until the nuts are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add a handful of capers and 2 cups of veggie-only tomato sauce. At the same time, in a pot blanch 1 cup of Israeli couscous in boiling water for 2 minutes, then rinse in cold water. Add the couscous to the skillet, stir and bring to a boil. Add 11/2 pounds of cleaned calamari cut into 1/4-inch tubes. Stir, reduce heat to simmer and cook for exactly 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, pour into a large warm bowl, sprinkle with slivered scallions and serve with warm, crusty Italian bread and a green salad.

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted