I don't generally make recipes exactly as written. Not because I have something against it, or because I don't want to -- but there'll be some kind of substitution out of necessity, or some kind of tweak that I think might take things up to the next level.
So it's definitely worth pointing out this dish that I made, yes, exactly as written, that I will be making exactly as written again.
(It helps that there are only four ingredients so the likelihood that I didn't have all of them on hand was nice and low.)
Calamari. Bacon. Scallions. Red pepper flakes.
It's a fast dish. Brown the bacon while you're multitasking on other dishes, or do it ahead of time, along with cutting and drying the calamari and slicing the scallions. Then you really only need to be away from the table for three minutes while the calamari cooks. It really is only three minutes. Set the timer so you don't overcook it.
I did this with a pound of squid as an appetizer for four people, served with Nigella's fatoush salad -- romaine with avocado, chiles, mint, and lime.... which I make all the time, but because I always leave the pita croutons off, never exactly as written.
Comments