I love squid, its cheap, versatile, good for you and tasty. You can also get it all nicely prepared at fish counters, ready for you to cut into rings.
When most people think of how to cook squid they think of quick cooking, to keep the squid tender, because tough squid is horrible. However you can also cook squid very long and slow and the result will be the same, a meltingly tender squid.
This dish takes a few hours to cook but minimal effort, and the result is delicious, do not miss off the garlic mayonnaise, it transforms the dish completely.
Squid and chorizo stew with garlic mayonnaise
50-100g chorizo
pinch of thyme leaves, dried works too
100ml mild veg stock
250g cherry tomatoes, left whole
250g squid, cut into rings
250g potato cut into bite sized chunks
small handful of fresh parsley
one clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Crusty bread/ toast to serve
Heat a casserole pot and add the chorizo, heat gently until the oil starts to be released. Add the thyme and cook for another minute.
Add the stock, careful it will sizzle and the cherry tomatoes. Pop on the lid and leave for 10 minutes over a gentle heat. After 10 minutes add the squid to the pan, making sure it is nestled in all the juices, return the lid and cook over a gentle heat for an hour.
After an hour give everything a stir and add the potatoes, return the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Whilst the potatoes are cooking crush the garlic clove and mix with the mayonnaise.
When the potatoes have finished cooking stir through the parsley and divide into bowls. Top with the garlic mayonnaise and a final sprinkle of parsley. Serve with crusty bread/toasts for soaking up all the juices.
Take a look at the ingredients below.
How many do you already have in your cupboards/fridge? Even if you had none of them, (really?) to buy them all is still cheap.
Oily fish are so incredibly good for us and it is recommended that we have one portion a week. If you are uncertain about sardines, mackerel etc. Then trying them in a pasta dish is a good way to introduce them to your diet. Need more convincing? These two tins of sardines in water cost 80p. Not each, together.
These ingredients come together to make a truly delicious dinner in little more than 15 minutes. It may not be much to look at, seriously trying to get a decent enough photo and eat my dinner while it was still hot was a challenge, but I promise the taste is excellent.
Quick, cheap, tasty and good for you, what are you waiting for?
Spaghetti with sardines, tomatoes and olives
serves 2
150-200g Gluten free spaghetti
2 tomatoes
12-15 pitted green olives
2 tins of sardines in water
1/2 lemon
pinch of sea salt
pinch of chilli flakes (optional, if you can't tolerate any spice leave them out)
oregano, fresh or dried (optional, if you have it great, if you don't and will not use any in another recipe do not buy it specially)
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold your pasta. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
While the pasta is cooking chop the tomato and olive into small diced pieces.
When the pasta is done drain most of the water leaving a couple of tablespoons worth in the pan. Place back over a very low heat. Add the tomatoes and olives and flake in the sardines. The bones are edible, they kind of crumble and break up over heat, if you prefer you can remove the large spinal bone. I tend to do this. Squeeze in the lemon juice, add the salt and chilli if you are using. Give everything a good mix to make sure everything is evenly distributed, sprinkle over the oregano if using and serve immediately.
