Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times - Mark Bittman [34]
2. Immediately add the scallops and cook, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan, add the shallot, and stir. Return to the oven for about 2 minutes, or until the scallops are done (they should be tender and not at all rubbery; do not overcook). Season with salt and pepper, stir in the herb, and serve.
SQUID
ALMOST ALL SQUID is sold so clean it just needs a quick rinse to be ready for cutting up and cooking; some of it is even sold cut into rings. To make it even more convenient, squid, like shrimp, is one of those rare seafoods whose quality barely suffers when frozen, so you can safely tuck a two-pound bag in the freezer and let it sit for a month or two, defrosting it the day you’re ready to cook. (Like shrimp, it will defrost quickly and safely when covered with cold water.)
SQUID IN RED WINE SAUCE
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 1 HOUR, LARGELY UNATTENDED
THIS IS AMONG my favorite dishes using this plentiful but still underappreciated cephalopod. (The term, which is also used for octopus and cuttlefish, describes sea creatures whose “feet” grow from their heads.) Like many people, I’m a fan of fried “calamari,” but that dish is best suited to restaurants because of squid’s tendency to spatter when deep-fried. Although sautéing and stir-frying are good, fast techniques for squid, they, too, tend to be messy. A gentle braise in flavorful liquid and seasonings is the perfect alternative, and this one, with its Provençal spirit, is delicious and warming.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 pounds cleaned squid, the bodies cut up if large
1 cup fruity red wine, like Côtes-du-Rhône
Several fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
1. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the squid and stir, then lower the heat and add the wine. Stir, add the thyme, and cover.
2. Cook at a slow simmer until the squid is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, season to taste, raise the heat, and cook until most but not all of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the remaining olive oil, garnish if you like, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Add fennel seeds or crushed red chiles to alter the flavor entirely, or try one of these additions:
Squid in Red Wine Sauce with Potatoes
Add some crisp-sautéed potatoes or croutons of bread to the finished dish for a contrasting texture.
Squid in Red Wine Sauce with Tomatoes
Add a few chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) to make the sauce a bit thicker and more plentiful. In this case, you might as well serve the dish over pasta.
BROILED OR GRILLED SOFTSHELL CRABS
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 15 MINUTES
THOUGH YOU CAN just shove the crabs under the broiler in this recipe, this slightly more complicated procedure works best: Preheat a large roasting pan in the broiler for ten minutes or so. When you’re ready to cook, put the crabs in the pan, adjusting the broiler rack so that it’s two or three inches from the heat source or as close as you can get it (in my oven, this means propping the roasting pan on top of another pan). The crabs will be done in less than 5 minutes. Remember that some oven broilers work best if the door is ajar, which will keep the element from cycling off and make cooking time faster, not slower.
8 softshell crabs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Salt
2 lemons, quartered
1. Preheat the broiler, adjusting the rack so that it is just beneath the heat source; put a large nonstick roasting pan or skillet in there to heat up for about 10 minutes. Or start a grill, adjusting the rack so that it is about 4 inches from the coals.
2. To broil, place the crabs, top shell up, in the pan. Broil until they