Manfredi’s Steamed Calamari

Name: Manfredi’s Steamed Calamari
Yield: serves 6 as an appetizer or 3 or 4 as a main course
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds medium-large calamari (uncleaned), or 2 pounds cleaned, uncut calamari; 1 lemon; 2 fresh bay leaves; 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste; 5 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil, or more if needed; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from lemon used above); 1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley; A large steamer, or improvise with a colander set inside a large deep pot with a lid that fits snugly inside

December 14, 2011

This is the warm salad we enjoyed at Manfredi Barbera’s as one of the appetizers. It is also delicious at room temperature—and in the heat of summer, it makes a marvelous main course or an accompaniment (contorno) to grilled fish or chicken.

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