Have you ever ordered calamari at a restaurant and noticed how quickly it was served? Some people may be reluctant to cook it at home, but it is actually an easy-to-make seafood dish. Some of the best tasting calamari recipes are easy to prepare and take little time to cook - you don’t have to be a skilled chef to make great tasting calamari!
As the weather gets nicer and more time is spent outside, we often want to cook great meals that take less time. Calamari dishes are sure to make you look like you’ve had years of culinary experience. Here are three easy calamari recipes to kick start your summer:
Garlic Sautéed Calamari
A terrific way to prepare great tasting calamari is to sauté it. Sautéed calamari will take little time to cook—three or four minutes tops. This recipe features rings and/or Town Dock squid tubes, which you can get at your favorite supermarket.
Let’s start with your ingredients:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2-3 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cleaned squid
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- blended olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions:
- Clean Squid
Make sure you buy cleaned squid. A majority of squid sold at supermarkets are pre-cleaned for customers, but if you’re uncertain, ask the seafood specialist at the supermarket. - Add Oil to Hot Sauté Pan
Be sure to use a sauté pan. Adding oil to an already hot pan (fire set to medium high) will prevent sticking. Oil should almost be on the verge of smoking before adding the garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes. - Sauté Garlic, Parsley, and Chili Flakes
Add garlic, half of the parsley, and red pepper flakes to the hot oil and sauté for about 10 seconds, to bring out the flavors and oils. Be sure not to overcook your garlic. - Sauté Squid
Add cleaned squid to the sautéed garlic, parsley, and pepper flakes. Be sure to only add enough to cover the bottom of the pan - this ensures you have the space and heat needed to cook the squid correctly. Add a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Keep the squid moving in the pan to prevent it from burning. Sautéed calamari is done when it just turns firm and opaque in color - this should only take about 1-2 minutes. - Garnish and Add Lemon
Add remaining parsley, a big squeeze of lemon, stir them through, plate the garlic sautéed calamari and there you go…ready to be served!
Photo Credit: Brian Dragich, qualityseafood.net
Fried Calamari
You know fried calamari as the traditional calamari order at your favorite local restaurant. You can buy calamari frozen or fresh at your local supermarket and cut it to your desired size. Below is a great fried calamari recipe created by Vanjo Merano.
Here are the ingredients for fried calamari:
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. calamari rings,
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- Lemon wedges
- 2 cups cooking oil
Instructions:
- Combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or a deep cooking pot.
- Drain the milk of the calamari. Dredge the calamari rings one-at-a-time in the flour mixture. Make sure that the calamari rings are completely coated with the mixture.
- Deep fry the coated calamari rings in hot oil for 2 minutes or until the calamari turns light brown.
- Strain the calamari from the wok or cooking pot using a skimmer or strainer. Let the excess oil drip.
- Transfer the fried calamari to a serving plate.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
- Share and enjoy!
Chargrilled Whole Squid with Chili & Mint
This recipe comes straight from the Jamie Oliver playbook. Jamie Oliver is known for his healthy initiatives in food, and this chargrilled squid recipe is no different.
The ingredients for this recipe are:
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized whole squid
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 red chilies, de-seeded and sliced
- 1 handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Instructions:
- Lay the squid flat on your chopping board.
- Push in a large knife and leave it inside, flat on its side. With a sharp knife, slice the squid as if you were going to chop it into rings. The knife that is lying inside the body of the squid will prevent you from cutting right through it. You end up with a concertina effect with the squid sliced, but still holding together. Repeat with the other three squid.
- With a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel seeds into a light powder with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle this all over the squid, making sure it gets into all the cuts you've made. Place immediately on the hottest part of the grill, and grill, turning every 30 seconds or so, or every time it starts to char, until the squid firm up and turn from opaque to white inside. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
- Add the lemon juice to a bowl with 3 times as much extra virgin olive oil and whisk together. Stir in the lemon zest, chili, mint, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle this over the squid, then serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.
We hope you enjoy these easy-to-make The Town Dock favorites and share them with your family and friends. And, of course, please share your own recipes and pictures of your favorite calamari dishes with us. Bon Appétit!