I have always been a die-hard fried calamari fan. Deep-fried, crispy batter, tartar sauce. Glorious. Until I had the most unbelievable Cajun calamari at one of my favourite restaurants in Cape Town. Do yourself a favour and try the calamari at the Sidewalk Cafe in Vredehoek. In the meantime, make this delicious version at home. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on the butter – it’s the key – so if you’re counting calories maybe keep this for a special occasion rather than a weekly occurrence.
Ingredients
1 tsp smoked chilli flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried Italian herds
1/4 tsp light brown sugar
Lots of butter
200g frozen calamari tubes (cleaned)
*serves 2
Defrost calamari. Drain. Dry fry for one minute to release excess water; remove calamari and drain and dry the pan. Heat the butter on a low heat and add the spices. Stir until fragrant, about a minute, and then add the calamari. Turn the heat up a little, toss for 30 seconds, and serve. With oven-baked chips or baby potatoes, I’d recommend.
Note: I want to try this sometime with fresh chilli instead of the chilli flakes, and lemon zest. Watch this space.
A Pie Squared 