Goofy Buddy with Calamari

You can now get frozen packages of calamari, already cut and ready to cook.  Over cocktails, a slightly goofy friend of mine (shown above) and I started experimenting to come up with a calamari dish that is similar to what you would find in restaurants, but without the deep frying.  Deep frying at home is a pain in the you-know-what.  The following recipe seemed to work very well and it is easy to do.

Ingredients:

– 2 Tbs. Olive oil

– cloves of garlic, chopped fine

– 8 oz. cut calamari, rinsed and dried with paper towel

– ¼ Tsp. crushed red pepper

– 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Procedure:

1. Heat the olive oil, pepper and garlic over medium heat until the latter turns slightly golden.
2. Add the calamari and sauté for 5-6 minutes.
3. Remove the calamari with a slotted spoon and throw onto a paper towel for just a second.  You are trying to remove most but not all of the oil.
4. Put the calamari into a mixing bowl and toss with the breadcrumbs.

This is a great light appetizer best served in small bowls.  It goes great with a cold Sauvignon Blanc.   Try it and let me know what you think.

Categories: Classic Appetizers, Classic Italian Dishes, Classic Recipes by Type

Tags: Calamari, seafood