Calamari with Butter and Garlic

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Calamari with Butter and Garlic

11 September 2011 by jonoandjules

Made for Michael and Ben who don’t like squid …but both asked us to post this recipe, perhaps we have converted them! Chargrilled and smothered in lemony garlic butter and parsley – don’t forget to buy some bread as mopping up the sauce is the best bit!

Calamari with butter, lemon and garlic – to serve 6 as a starter

1kg squid (baby squid is best)
100g butter
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
lemon wedges, to serve

If you need to clean the squid yourself, pull the tentacles away from the body. Remove the clear bone from inside the body and rinse the body well under cold water. Hold the tenticles firmly in one hand and squeeze out the little beak and cut it away, leaving the tentacles whole. Rinse the tentacles. Cut the body into rings about 3cm thick, and leave the tentacles whole. Pat dry.

Heat the butter in a saucepan and when it sizzles, add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sizzle for a minute or two to flavour the butter but don’t let it burn. Stir in the parsley and take it off the heat.

Heat a griddle to very hot (it should be just smoking). Scatter with some of the calamari in a single layer – you’ll have to cook in batches – and cook over the highest heat. When the squid has darkened in parts on the underside, turn it over with tongs and cook until the other side is darkened – careful it doesn’t burn or it will taste bitter. Move it around the pan and let it cook for another couple of minutes, then add to the warm butter while you cook the next batch. Season to taste and serve with lemon wedges and lots of bread.

(Original recipe from Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros, published by Murdoch Books, 2004.)

Posted in Food | Tagged Calamari, Cooking, Food, Garlic, Greek, Recipe, Squid | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on 11 September 2011 at 9:43 pm | Reply Colette

I love squid and this is so simple and tasty looking. Gorgeous 🙂
on 12 September 2011 at 10:16 am | Reply Sharon Ní Chonchúir

I’ve often considered buying this cookbook but I’ve yet to add it to my collection. Would you recommend it?
- on 12 September 2011 at 4:55 pm | Reply jonoandjules
  
  Hi Sharon. We’ve had it for yonks but didn’t cook anything until recently. We’ve tried about 5 recipes so far and intend on trying more as they have all been really good. We checked out some other books by Tessa Kiros recently but didn’t think they looked as good as this one. So yes we would recommend. J&J
on 12 September 2011 at 1:27 pm | Reply Hester @ Alchemy in the Kitchen

Great to mean Jono at the Bord Bia day! Lovely dish, simple flavours letting the squid do the talking. Any wine recommendations for this?
- on 12 September 2011 at 6:47 pm | Reply jonoandjules
  
  Hi Hester, great to meet you too! I would pair a light dry white with the Calamari, something like a Muscadet Sur Lie or an Albarino, both which have a nice fruitiness and minerailty. If you want to think a little left field try something from Greece, like an Assyrtiko (O’Briens have one at the moment). Let us know how you do.
on 12 September 2011 at 10:29 pm | Reply ....RaeDi

Beautiful dish….RaeDi
on 9 June 2025 at 1:00 pm | Reply 19 Easy Calamari Recipes That Don’t Skimp On Flavor

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Two food and wine lovers in Dublin.