Calamari And Chorizo Pizza Recipes

CALAMARI AND CHORIZO PIZZA

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the fennel and wine, and season lightly with salt. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring more frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fennel is slightly golden, about 5-10 minutes. Be careful to not let it scorch. Place a heavy baking steel on the lower oven rack of your oven and preheat it to its highest setting (usually 550˚F) for 1 hour. With 10 minutes left in the preheating, dust a board and your hands with rice flour, then stretch and pull the dough (don't press) into a roughly 13-inch round or oval-don't try to make it perfect. Transfer to a wooden pizza peel (or upside-down large, rimless baking sheet) liberally sprinkled with cornmeal. Working quickly, drizzle the dough evenly with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and scatter the fennel evenly over the top, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the chorizo evenly and top with the shaved Manchego, again leaving a 1-inch border. Scatter with the calamari rings and tentacles and black lava salt. Jiggle the dough on the peel to make sure its still mobile, then slide it onto the hot baking steel. Bake until the edges are golden and the cheese melts, about 8-11 minutes. Remove the pizza and place on a cutting board, then grind plenty of black pepper over it. Garnish with the fennel tops, slice and enjoy. Makes one 13-inch pizza. Recipe may be doubled.

CHORIZO SUPREME PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425ºF.
• Cook chorizo in large skillet on medium heat 5 to 7 min. or until done, stirring occasionally; drain. Add red peppers and onions; cook 3 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms and jalapeño peppers; cook 4 to 5 min. or until mushrooms are tender.
• Place pizza crust on baking sheet; brush edge with oil. Spread crust with sauce; top with 3/4 cup cheese, chorizo mixture, tomatoes and remaining cheese.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro.

PIZZA WITH FRIED CALAMARI (FROM AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Cut the tubes into rings. Lightly coat the squid with flour and fry 360 degree F oil until golden brown. We make this pizza the same way as the margarita except that the spicy oil is drizzled on instead of just olive oil and then the calamari is placed on top, and garnished with scallions.
• Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
• On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.
• When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the 2 corners closest to you, and drape in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
• Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
• Pizza Dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it's shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.
• Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to very low, and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the flavors continue to infuse the oil as it cools
• Strain the oil into a clean jar. When it has cooled to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.

SEARED CALAMARI WITH WHITE BEANS AND CHORIZO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the calamari rings, garlic, chili flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the chorizo and cook, shaking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with a paper towel. Wipe out the skillet and return to high heat.
• Add the oil to the skillet and heat until very hot. Add the calamari mixture to the skillet; be careful because the pan will flame. Saute for a few minutes and then add the chorizo, beans and their juice, red bell peppers, parsley, lemon juice, and butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings. If there isn't enough liquid, add a few tablespoons of clam juice or water.
• To serve, pour the stew into a shallow bowl and pass the croutons.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the olive oil, garlic, parsley, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper together. Cut the baguette into 1/4-inch slices at a severe angle. Lay baguette slices on a cookie sheet and brush with the seasoned oil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.

TENDER SUMMER SQUID WITH CHORIZO & AÏOLI

Steps:

• Heat a large wide pan. Add the chorizo and fry for 5 mins, using your spatula to break up, until golden and oozing with oil.
• If there's more than 2 tbsp of oil in the pan, spoon out the excess. Add the onion and thyme and soften for 5 mins.
• Stir in the paprika, cook for 1 min, then splash in the wine and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 mins until the tomatoes have collapsed. Don't season with salt, as the sausages are salty enough for now.
• Add the squid, make sure it's nestled well into the juices, then cover again and simmer for 1 hr. Add the potatoes, then cook for another 30 mins, adding a splash of water if it looks dry. Mix the garlic, mayo and lemon juice, then set aside. Sprinkle with a little paprika, if you like.
• Test the squid; it should be so tender a spoon cuts through it, then check the potatoes are cooked. Stir in the parsley and serve with a dollop of the aïoli, a squeeze of lemon and some crusty bread.