Brown Butter Calamari

By maredan

Ingredients

• Brown Rice
• 2 * 2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 * 1 onion finely diced
• 1 * 1 cup brown long grain rice
• 2 * 2 cups water
• 1/4 * 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• * salt and pepper
• Poached Garlic
• 8-10 * 8-10 peeled garlic cloves, about 1 bulb
• 1 * 1 sprig thyme
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup olive oil
• For Squid
• 3 * 3 medium squid, cleaned and patted dry
• * ½ red onion, sliced
• 1 * 1 tablespoon fine capers, drained
• * Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 3 * 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 * 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, to garnish
• Pickled Red Onion
• 2 * 2 small red onions
• 2 * 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 * 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Simple Tomato Salad
• 4 * 4 ripe field tomatoes
• 4-6 * 4-6 leaves basil, roughly torn
• 1 * 1 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• 1 * 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• * Flaky sea salt and pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
Brown Rice

1. To prepare rice, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Saute onions until they start to colour; add rice and stir, coating and toasting in oil for a minute or two.
2. Pour water over rice and bring to a boil. Stir, cover pot and lower heat to simmer; cook rice until al dente, about 35-40 minutes.
3. When rice is done, transfer to large bowl to cool slightly. Smash and add 3 cloves of poached garlic; fold gently to combine. Add chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Poached Garlic

1. To prepare poached garlic, add peeled cloves to a small pot. Cover with olive oil; add thyme sprig and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until garlic is a light golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature.

For Squid

1. To prepare calamari, clean and trim off tenticles; set aside. With scissors, snip each body along length, cutting about halfway through.
2. Season calamari bodies and tentacles with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Just before oil starts to smoke, add onions and sauté for one minute.
3. Add butter; it will foam and quickly start to brown. Add squid and sear hard and quickly. Add capers and chili; sauté another 30 seconds.
4. Take pan off heat and finish with lemon juice and parsley. Check seasoning for salt and pepper.
5. To serve, divide rice among plates and arrange squid over. Spoon brown butter and capers sauce over. Garnish with pine nuts.

Simple Tomato Salad

1. Remove core from tomatoes and slice each into 6 wedges. Drizxle with olive oil and vinegar. Top with basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.