So many people have memories of overcooked, over-chewy calamari, a bit like rubber. But fresh or good quality frozen squid, cooked either very quickly or very slowly, is melt in the mouth tender. The in-between area is where things get very tough and rubbery. The long and slow cooking in this recipe is certainly worth it for a very tender and delicious result. It is a one pot meal and all it needs is some warm, crusty bread to mop all the juices up with. A dish to be enjoyed in summer as well as winter with a glass of cool white wine.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
220 g / 8 oz chorizo, skin removed and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
Thyme, a few sprigs, leaves only
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
125 ml / 1/2 cup dry white wine
450 g / 1 lb cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
500 g / 1 lb 2 oz calamari tubes, cut into rings
450 g / 1 lb baby new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
Parsley, fresh, about a handful, roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into quarters, to serve
aïoli
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Smoked paprika, as garnish
Preparation:
Heat a large sauté pan or pot over medium high heat, do not add oil
Add the chorizo and cook for about 2 minutes
Add the onion and thyme and cook another 2 to 3 minutes
Add the paprika, wine and tomatoes
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
Add the calamari, make sure it is well nestled in the juice, cover and simmer for 45 minutes
Add the potatoes and cook another 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender
Meanwhile prepare the aïoli
Mix the garlic, mayonnaise and lemon juice
Sprinkle with paprika and set aside
Test the calamari, it should be so tender that you can cut it with a spoon
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley
Serve immediately with the aïoli, a piece of lemon and warm crusty bread
Enjoy!
cookinginsens said:
Sounds good!
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Nadia said:
Merci. Are you heading back to Sens soon?
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StefanGourmet said:
Mmmmmm delicious! Great combination of flavors. Peas could be added.
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Nadia said:
Peas would be a nice splash of colour.
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Karen said:
Looks delicious
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Nadia said:
Thank you. It is a delicious dish equally good in summer as in winter.
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Mad Dog said:
That’s my kind of cooking 🙂
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Nadia said:
I suspected you might like this one😃
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Osyth said:
I adore Calamari and have learned to cook it well with an awful lot of getting it wrong along the way – this recipe looks like a star and I must set to making it soon
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Nadia said:
It is one of my favourite foods. When I go to Cape Town, I eat it as much as possible.
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Osyth said:
We had such plentiful and fabulous seafood in Massachusetts but I found that most people seemed to avoid the squid. Most odd!
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Nadia said:
Same in California actually, it is not very popular.
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Osyth said:
Odd. There must be a fortune for someone to make getting the squid marketing right in the US!
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chef mimi said:
Love this dish! Calamari is one of my favorite things to eat, but I can only get it when I’m on vacation! Which is why we keep traveling!
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Nadia said:
You must go to Cape Town then. They have the best. Grilled, fried, baked, stuffed…
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chef mimi said:
It’s on my list….. a very long list!
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Debs said:
My idea of heaven! Love the warm colour chorizo brings
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Nadia said:
You will have to come visit and we can make it together.
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camparigirl said:
It is actually so easy to cook calamari. I like this idea of combining chorizo and aioli. I always seem to stick with the Italian version – just wine and parsley….
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Nadia said:
My favourite and most often cooked way is lightly sautéed with garlic, herbs and wine too but I do love trying different ways.
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Meeta said:
Nadia! I am one of those people who remembers some dishes with chewy clamari. I have had some good ones too but I must admit never paired with chorizio. This looks great.
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Nadia said:
Thanks. Once you know how to cook it, it is so easy, you will want to eat it so much more frequently.
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cookingwithauntjuju.com said:
I totally agree that when cooked right calamari is delicious. Pairing it with chorizo (a favorite) is a great addition. Thanks for coming to the party Nadia and Happy FF!
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Nadia said:
It is a very popular combination in Spain for tapas.
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carolinescookingblog said:
I agree, a bad experience with calamari seems all too common but if cooked right, it can be so good. This sounds tasty.
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Nadia said:
I find many people are quite nervous about cooking calamari yet I am more worried cooking a steak to the perfect cuisson level😃
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