When I was young, finding calamari on a restaurant menu was a bit or a rarity (growing up in small town OH). Having moved to the Northeast during college, however, I have become accustomed to fried calamari being a commonplace item at many eateries. Tricia and I are both big fans of battered and deep-fried squid. Still, alternative preparations of calamari are less common at restaurants, and many people remain hesitant to cook squid themselves at home. I put together this recipe after finding frozen calamari at a local grocery store – it came out really well, and I wanted to share how simple it was to put together. The flavors are influenced by Spanish cuisine, and this is an excellent dish for a tapas-style menu.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. calamari, cleaned
- 4 oz. Spanish-style chorizo (cured and dried), cut into 1/4″ slices
- 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
- 1/2 – 1 tsp. chili powder
- juice of 1/3 lemon
- Handful of cilantro leaves
If you get the squid frozen like I did, it should be already cleaned. If you buy it fresh, ask the seafood counter to clean it for you (unless you know how). Start by cutting the calamari into 1/4 inch rings starting at the “head.” Leave the last ring intact with the legs (for those who are calamari novices – the legs are the tastiest part!).
Heat a 1 tbsp of canola oil in a large skillet (nonstick is fine for this) over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo. Cook the chorizo, occasionally moving it around the pan and turning the pieces, until a the red fat is rendered and the sausage is caramelized. Add the garlic at this point, cooking it in the rendered fat until fragrant, about 1 minute. There is a lot of garlic in this recipe, and it adds a lot of great flavor!
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the chili powder. You can add a variable amount depending on what heat level you like (omitting it is completely fine). As always, I use Indian chili powder, which is fairly spicy (American chili powder is a spice blend, so if you don’t have Indian, use Cayenne pepper). Stir the chili powder in, and allow it to cook and addition 30 seconds.
Now it’s time for the calamari. Add it to the pan, stirring constantly. It only takes 2-3 minutes to cook through. Once the rings are completely opaque, the squid is cooked (if you overcook it, it will become rubbery fast). Squeeze in the lemon juice and toss to mix. Add salt to taste. Remove from the heat and garnish with the cilantro. Eat it while its hot for the best experience!
