White Beans With Baby Squid Recipes

WHITE BEANS WITH SQUID, ARUGULA, AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Steam squid bodies and tentacles until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate and cool to lukewarm.
• Cut squid bodies into 1/2-inch-wide rings. Cut squid tentacles in half if large. Transfer squid to large bowl. Add baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, beans, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss gently to blend, adding more lemon juice, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
• What to drink:
• Citrusy A Mano 2007 Soave ($9)

WHITE BEANS WITH SQUID AND BROKEN NOODLES

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and salt it. Meanwhile, put half the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. A minute later, add the beans and their liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring, and add squid, along with some salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
• When water boils, cook the noodles until they are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and add them to the simmering beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squid and noodles are tender, adding a little liquid if necessary. (Do not add liquid prematurely -- the squid will produce a lot on its own.)
• When just about done, add garlic. Cook it just long enough to take the edge off its rawness. Spoon the mixture into 4 dishes, garnishing with parsley and sprinkling with remaining olive oil.

GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH CELERY AND CANNELLINI BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• To make the octopus: Coat a large saucepan with olive oil and toss in the garlic, carrot, celery and onion. Season with salt and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Cook the veggies until they are soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the vinegar and fill the pan with water. Season with salt, toss in the bay leaves and bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the baby octopus and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the liquid and let cool. (This part can sooooooo be done ahead.)
• To prep the salad: Coat a large straight-sided saute pan with olive oil, toss in the onions, season with salt and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the onions until they start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Toss in the beans, chicken stock and celery and cook until the stock has reduced by a little more than half. Turn off the heat and reserve the bean mixture.
• Preheat the grill. Cut the heads off the octopus and cut the legs into sections of 2 legs. Oil the legs and place them on the grill to slightly char and heat up the octopus.
• In a large bowl, toss the arugula and celery leaves with the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt. Divide among 4 serving plates and spoon some of the warm bean mixture onto the arugula. Arrange the legs between the plates. Drizzle with big fat finishing oil.
• Drain the beans from the soaking water and place in a medium saucepan. Toss in the garlic cloves, bay leaf, carrot, celery, thyme and onion. Add water to the pan until it covers the beans by about 2 inches.
• Put the pan on a high heat and bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until the beans are very soft and tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn the heat off.
• Season the water generously with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain the beans from the cooking liquid and remove the veggies, bay and thyme and discard. Yield: 2 1/2 cups cooked beans.

GRILLED CALAMARI WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Place beans in large saucepan. Pour enough water over beans to cover by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Add onion, thyme, and bay leaf to beans; simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Drain. Discard onion, thyme, and bay leaf; return beans to saucepan.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir shallots into beans. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring and adding more water to moisten if necessary, before serving.)
• Place calamari tentacles in medium bowl. Cut calamari bodies lengthwise in half. Using sharp knife, score bodies at 1/2-inch intervals in lattice pattern (do not cut through). Add to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, and garlic; toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Drain calamari; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill just until slightly curled at edges, about 30 seconds per side.
• Stir parsley into warm beans. Divide beans among 6 plates. Top with calamari. Drizzle remaining 3 tablespoons oil over. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper.

SQUID & PINTO BEAN STEW WITH GARLIC TOASTS

Steps:

• Drain the pinto beans, rinse in water and put in a large saucepan. Add the halved onion, whole carrot and halved celery sticks, then cover with water and add the bay leaf. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, turn down the heat and simmer until totally tender, for around 1 hr. When done, drain, discarding the bay leaf and cooked veg. Put the beans to one side until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, heat a flameproof casserole dish with 2 tbsp oil. Toss in the remaining onion, carrot, celery and the chopped garlic. Fry gently for 15 mins until the vegetables are tender. Stir through the squid, tomato purée and thyme sprig. Cook for a min or two, then pour over the passata and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, pop on the lid and simmer for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Take off the lid and cook down for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Stir the beans into the squid and cook until the squid is totally tender and the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, put the bread on a baking sheet. Mix the remaining oil with paprika and seasoning, then drizzle over the bread and put it in the oven, cooking for a few mins each side until golden and crisp. Rub the oil side with the whole garlic clove. Scatter parsley over the stew and serve with the garlic toasts and some wilted greens, if you like.