When I go on holiday in Italy I can have fun with fish recipes, like this one for pan-fried squid and artichokes. Yes, since in the Netherlands there are few varieties, when I’m in Italy the first thing I do is visit the fish counter. And this time I found some beautiful fresh squid—could I not buy them?
Well, it’s not the only ingredient I miss here; there are also some vegetables, both fresh and frozen, that I can’t find. Like frozen artichoke hearts: they’re great, already cleaned—just leave them out of the fridge for about 10 minutes so they thaw a little, then slice and cook. They’re ideal to prepare this tasty main dish.
The result is a delicious, very filling and nutritious dish. A light main course with the side included, easy to prepare. Here’s how I made it.
Other light fish mains are here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 1 lb 2 oz squid (or cuttlefish, cleaned, fresh or thawed)
- 1 lb 2 oz artichoke hearts (frozen)
- 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste chili pepper (optional)
- to taste salt and pepper
- Points per serving = 7 WW points
Steps
Take the artichoke hearts out of the freezer about ten minutes before so they thaw a bit. Meanwhile rinse the squid and cut it into rings.
If the tentacles are large, cut them in half. As soon as you can cut the artichokes, cut them into 3 or 4 wedges.
Sauté the sliced garlic with two teaspoons of oil in a large pan or nonstick wok. If you like, add some ground chili or fresh chili slices.
As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add the artichokes and stir well; after about 1 minute cover, lower the heat and let cook for 5–10 minutes.
When the artichokes have softened, turn up the heat and add the well-drained squid. Add a little salt and cook the squid and artichokes for a few minutes, stirring often.
Cover and cook for about 5–10 minutes over moderate heat. When everything is cooked, adjust the salt and add a portion of the chopped parsley and the second teaspoon of oil.
Here it is: transfer everything to the serving plate, garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and serve the squid and artichokes at the table.
A really simple and quick main course to prepare even at the last minute. Serve it with some whole-grain bread to soak up the sauce or add cubes of boiled potato in the last minutes of cooking. I like to squeeze some lemon juice over it.
At home we really enjoyed this dish; if you like it too leave me a comment below or on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
