Sauteed Calamari with Capers and Cherry Peppers

Because I love to cook so much and always have a seemingly endless stack of recipes to try and cookbooks to discover, I don’t end up eating out too often. When I do go out, I love to try to recreate dishes that I fall in love with. This calamari is one of those dishes.

Sauteed Calamari with Capers and Cherry Peppers

Serves 4 as appetizer

Recipe by Just the Tip

Here’s what I used:

• 1 1/2 lbs cleaned calamari, cut into rings
• 4 cherry peppers, seeded, and cut into rings
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 1 cup homemade marinara (saute some garlic in olive oil. add san marzano tomatoes that you whirl in a food mill or squish with your fingers. Salt and pepper, 15 minutes on low, and bam: marinara)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat panko
• 1 tsp butter
• pinch dried oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• salt, pepper, olive oil

Here’s what I did:

1. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the panko, season with a little salt, and toss to toast for about a minute or two. Remove from heat and reserve.
2. In a large saute pan (I used cast-iron), heat up a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cherry peppers and capers and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the calamari rings and any tentacles, season with salt, pepper and oregano, and saute for a minute or so. Add the marinara and cook in the sauce for another couple of minutes until the calamari is firm and opaque (don’t overcook or it will get rubbery).

   

3. Squeeze a healthy amount of fresh lemon juice, garnish with parsley and toasted panko, and eat it.