Sautéed Calamari with White Wine, Garlic, and Clam Broth

Serves 6

Contrary to popular belief, calamari (aka squid) don’t come out of the ocean already cut into rings, coated with bread crumbs, fried, and accompanied by a thimble of marinara sauce for dipping. They actually come fully intact and are usually available cleaned, leaving you little more to do than slice them. There are a number of ways to enjoy calamari, but this is one of my favorites: in a white sauce of wine, garlic, and clam juice that underscores the calamari’s gentle flavor. In this context, the bacon is especially important: It anchors the dish with a salty, smoky undercurrent.

Serve this over pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or capellini, or with a slice of toasted Italian bread.

 

4 ounces slab bacon, diced (about 1 cup)

2 ounces Genoa salami, finely sliced (about cup)

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small dice

1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and cut into small dice

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced, plus 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Pinch of sugar

1 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

One 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained of liquid and crushed by hand

Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice

¹/₂ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 pounds squid, tentacles removed and discarded or saved for another use, bodies split open lengthwise and cut into ¹/₄-inch strips

 

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon and salami over medium-high heat until crisp and they have rendered enough fat to coat the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the carrot, onion, and sliced garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender but not at all browned, 7 to 8 minutes.

3. Add the tomato paste and sugar and stir to coat the other ingredients. Add the wine and the vinegar and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, clam juice, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower the heat so the liquid simmers. Add the oregano and bay leaf and simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the squid with salt and pepper. Add the minced garlic and squid to the skillet and cook until the squid just begin to curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce to the pan and toss well. Discard the bay leaf.

5. To serve, divide the squid and sauce among 6 warm bowls bowls.

VARIATIONS

Shrimp with White Wine, Garlic, and Clam Broth

Peeled, deveined, and butterflied shrimp make a fine alternative to the squid here. Rather than sautéing them, omit Step 4, season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and poach them in the sauce at a gentle simmer for 1 to 2 minutes after completing Step 3.