Spicy Calamari

Name: Spicy Calamari
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 2 pounds cleaned calamari, whole bodies (skin on or of) and tentacles; 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 6 plump garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley; A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or wider

December 9, 2011

It always pleases me when such a simple recipe can be so good. But every ingredient and every step must be perfect—the calamari, fresh; the olive oil, the best; and the pan must be hot for the quick cooking. I always prefer to buy whole calamari and clean them myself (you can see how easy it is to do in my book Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen). I also like to leave the skin on the bodies, because it takes on a lovely color when cooked. However, now that squid are frequently sold already cleaned, which is a convenience, the body skin is usually peeled off as well. So, if you like the skin, as I do, ask the fishmonger at your market to leave it on. If that’s not possible, don’t worry: the dish tastes marvelous either way. (And if you are not a fan of squid, you could also prepare scallops, swordfish, or even a fillet of cod using this recipe.)

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