Recreate Justine Schofield’s Calamari À L’américaine as featured live on stage in The Kitchen by Harris Scarfe at the 2023 Good Food & Wine Show.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 kg fresh medium calamari, cleaned & cut into 4 cm x 2 cm pieces, tentacles cut in half
20 g butter
3 French shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cognac
180 ml white wine
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3 tomatoes, skins removed and diced
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cream
3 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped
Crusty sourdough, to serve

Method

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat and add calamari. Flash fry tossing until they change colour then remove and reserve in a bowl.

Add the butter to the same pan over medium heat and sauté the shallot until golden, about 1–2 minutes. Return the calamari to the pan and tomatoes paste and stir through. Now add the cognac and flambé.

Pour in the wine, stir to deglaze and bring to the boil. Add in the tomato and the reserved calamari juices and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 35-40minutes or until the calamari is soft. Mix in the cream, take off the heat and add the parsley just before serving.