Sautéed fresh spicy Squid with Lemon, Garlic and Herbs

Cleaning squid is a messy ordeal – it is best to wear thin disposable gloves and a large washing bowl filled with cold water and lemon juice. If you have picky eaters don’t let them watch. It is well worth cleaning and cutting them yourself – they are more tender and tasty then when you buy them cleaned, cut and even frozen.

Ingredients:

• 750 grams fresh small squid – I use the Forbesi kind
• 1 lemon– cut in half and squeezed into and placed in the washing water
• 2 TBSP plus of olive oil – separated
• ½ peeled red onion finely chopped
• ½-1 clove of garlic – depending on how garlicy you like it
• Juice of 1 lemon – each half separate
• 3 slices of washed organic lemon
• 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite chili sauce or ½ teaspoon of chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• Pepper to taste

Putting it together:

- Clean the squid by placing it in the bowl of water with the lemon and it’s juice. Pull out the innards by pulling on the tentacles. Separate the tentacles from the rest of the innards. Discard the innards.
- Remove the beak at the center of the tentacles by squeezing it out. Rinse the tentacles in the water and place them in a colander set over a bowl.
- Now take the body, inside it you will feel a long, thin quill, pull it out since it must be removed. Discard it.
- Rub off the colored outside skin and discard the winglets. Gently turn the squid tube inside out and rinse it thoroughly, turning it back round before adding it to the colander. Continue until all squid are cleaned and washed.
- Cut the squid tubes across into about 3-4 slices. Place the sliced tubes with the tentacles in a bowl with ½ the lemon juice.
- Place the other half of the lemon juice in the serving bowl.
- Fry the onion over medium heat in 1 TBSP of olive oil. After 2 minutes add the 3 lemon slices, ½ of the chopped garlic and the chili flakes or sauce. Stir fry 1 minute.
- Turn up the heat and add the squid tentacles. Stir fry ½ minute. Add salt and pepper quickly.
- Add the slices of squid and stir fry maximum of 1 minute until the squid is just turning white instead of translucent. Remove immediately after one minute and place in the serving bowl with the lemon juice. Stir once or twice and serve.

Recipe: K.Stienemeier – Yum&More – Sept. 2010