2021 Giro d’Italia - Stage 15: Gorizia to Grado
Today, the riders are not only in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, but they also dip into Slovenia as they circle back down toward Grado, a town surrounded by a lagoon and the Gulf of Trieste. With all of the surrounding water, it was a perfect time for a seafood dish, and a perfect dish, it was. It’s very simple, yet extremely delicious. How delicious? My fiancé licked the plate...after a salad! Don’t be afraid of this dish's main ingredient. Perhaps, you’ve only tried fried calamari. Well, I’m here to tell you, perfectly tender squid, like a nice toothsome pasta, is the superior preparation - and this dressing is absolutely amazing. Pair with a minerally white wine. The below recipe makes two dinner servings.
Squid with Arugula adapted from The Italian Regional Cookbook, Valentina Harris
3/4 lb. cleaned squid (tubes and tentacles)
1 tsp black peppercorn
Handful of parsley leaves
3/4 cup dry white wine
1.5 tsp anchovy paste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Arugula
Coarse sea salt
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, slice the squid tubes ¼-inch thick and drop into the boiling water, along with the whole tentacles, peppercorns, half of the parsley leaves, and wine. Gently boil for about 35 minutes and start testing the rings for texture. You want a slight resistance when biting, but not chewy.
Prepare the dressing by finely chopping the remaining parsley and stirring together with the anchovy paste, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk until emulsified.
When the squid is ready, drain and chop up the cooked squid, leaving some whole tentacles for garnish, and stir the squid into the dressing.
Place some arugula on a dish. Top with the squid and crush the sea salt between your fingertips over the salad. ______________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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