Calamari Salad
Some very fussy customers cannot live without this simple salad. Our version of this classic is very Italian, with a dash of Tabasco for a lick of heat.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 3 quarts water
- ½ lemon
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds cleaned fresh or frozen calamari
- 2 small garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 4 lemons
- 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Dash of Tabasco
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel, trim, and slice the onion.
- Pour the water into a 4-quart stockpot and add the sliced onion, lemon half, and bay leaf. Bring the water to a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the calamari by separating the tubes and tentacles. Rinse the tubes under cold running water and pull off any quills, if not already removed. Cut the calamari into one-quarter-inch-thick rings.
- Add the calamari to the simmering water and cook for 5 minutes. (It will turn opaque.) Drain in a colander, remove the onion, lemon, and bay leaf, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the calamari cools, mince the garlic and put in a large ceramic or glass bowl with the olive oil, juice of the 4 lemons, parsley, Tabasco, and I pepper to taste. Add the calamari and toss well to combine. Best served within 1 hour of finishing.