Pan-fried calamari with caramelised peppers, tomato and olives

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 large calamari
• 2 red capsicums
• 1 yellow capsicum
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 handful green olives
• 2 handful rocket leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ glass olive oil
• 1 handful of basil leaves
• 200 ml homemade tomato sauce, use tomato purée as replacement
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp salted capers
• Pepper
• 1 lemon

Preparing the calamari

- Clean the calamari by pulling the tentacles, intestines and spinal bone out of the tube.

- Cut the tentacles slightly above the eyes and discard the intestines. Press the jaw ball out of the centre of the tentacles and discard it.

- Press your thumb between fin and calamari tube and pull it off.  Do the same with the second fin. Press your thumb between the meat and soft bone where the fin was attached to the tube and remove the soft bone.

- Cut the tube lengthwise, open and scrape any leftover intestines away with a sharp knife.

Method

Wash the tube, fin and tentacles and place the tube onto a chopping board and cut itinto three to five centimetre squares.

Cut the fins into pieces of approximately the same size and cut the tentacles into three pieces. Dry the calamari pieces on some kitchen paper.

Cut the capsicums in half, remove the core and cut them into five millimetre thick strips.

Heat oil in a wok, add calamari, capsicum and garlic and roast until golden brown.

Meanwhile, wash, dry and chop basil roughly and add olives, tomato purée, paprika, capers and pepper. Toss through and cook for another minute.

Remove from heat and chill to room temperature before you add basil, rocket salad and mix through.

Drizzle over the remaining oil and finish with some lemon juice.

Recipe notes

Add some chopped chilli to spice it up.
Replace herbs with some chopped spring onions or some chopped thyme.
 

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Photo credit: Trupps' Cooking School