# Calamari Escabeche



## Brook (May 27, 2009)

When most people make calamari they either bread & fry it, or stuff the bodies and cook them on the grill. I wanted to do something different for a first course. After several tries to get it right, I came up with this cold appetizer. 

The trick with calamari is the cooking time. You want to follow the 2/20 rule: it has to be cooked either for less than two minutes or more than 20. Anything in the middle results in tough, rubbery squid. 

With a brine there’s the additional “cooking” effect of the acid. So be sure and follow the poaching time exactly. 

*Calamari Escabeche*

1-1	½ lbs calamari bodies (tentacles will work, but I prefer not using them in this recipe), cut in ½-inch rings.
1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
1 cup white wine
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and split
1 tsp orange zest
1 tbls hot paprika
½ cup Sherry vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt

Combine clam juice and wine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Working in batches, poach the squid in the liquid for exactly 30 seconds. Refresh in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process.

Reduce the liquid to about ¼ cup.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the garlic and cook until it turns color. Remove the pan from the heat and add the reduced clam/wine mixture and remaining ingredients. Let cool to room temperature. 

Drain the squid rings and put in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the squid and refrigerate overnight or longer.


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