Best Calamari And Saffron Rice Salad Recipes

WINE-BRAISED CALAMARI WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, warm olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add garlic, thyme, sage, red pepper and saffron (if using), then cook 1 minute more. Raise heat to high. Add squid and season generously with salt and pepper, stirring well to coat. Cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, then add wine and boil for 1 minute.
• Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes, tasting the broth occasionally and adjusting the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Add carrots and turnips, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, until tender.
• Add leeks and peas and cook 5 minutes more.
• Serve in wide soup bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and chives.

SPICY CALAMARI WITH FREGOLA

Steps:

• Spread the calamari on a baking sheet and pat dry as best you can with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide skillet over high heat. Add calamari and quickly stir-fry, cooking for only 1 minute, until puffed. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add crushed red pepper, anchovy and garlic and let sizzle, then add onions and stir well.
• Season onions generously and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and faintly colored. Add saffron and wine and simmer for 1 minute, then add tomato and broth. Adjust heat so sauce simmers gently for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well mingled. Taste for salt and hot pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add fregola and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
• Add par-cooked calamari to the sauce over high heat. Add basil leaves and stir well until everything is heated through and calamari are completely cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and fold in cooked fregola. Sprinkle with oregano, add a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.

SAFFRON RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium pot on grates of grill or side burners. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains of rice with the oil.
• Place the water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Add the saffron to the onion mixture and let boil 1 minute. Add the boiling water to the rice, stir, add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and let cook 12 to 14 minutes or until the rice is just cooked. Let the rice sit, covered for 5 minutes then fluff with fork.
• Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add the asparagus, peppers, olives and herbs. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons of aged sherry vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CALAMARI SALAD

Steps:

• Bring three quarts of water to a boil, add the squid and boil for three minutes, just until the squid turns opaque and firms up. Drain the squid and rinse it with cold water. Pat it dry on paper towels and slice the bodies into thin rings. Chop the triangular fins and the tentacles. Place the squid in a glass or ceramic bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and refrigerate for two to three days, then serve.

CALAMARI AND SAFFRON RICE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 10 cups of water to a boil.
• Stir in 1 tblsp salt.
• Add the rice and cook uncovered over medium heat until al dente, about 15 minutes.
• Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• Place the rice in a large serving bowl and toss with the saffron water.
• Stir in ¼ cup of the olive oil and the vinegar.
• In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the peas for 1 minutes.
• Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• In a large nonreactive skillet, heat the remaining 2 tblsps olive oil over high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Add the squid and cook, stirring occasionally, just until opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the squid to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Add the wine and garlic to the skillet and boil until the liquid is reduced to ½ cup, about 3 minutes.
• Season with coarse sea salt and pepper and let cool.
• Add the squid and its liquid, the peas, tomatoes, basil and thyme to the rice and toss.
• Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Let stand for at least 20 minutes before serving.
• This salad is best at room temperature.