Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Fried Calamari Bocadillos
Serves 4

5 tbsp alioli  
500g (1 medium) calamari 
40g fine semolina
Juice of 1 lemon
10 guindillas
½ cup parsley, very roughly chopped
Salt 
10 rolls

Alioli
1 garlic clove
Sea salt flakes
1 egg yolk
2 tsp Dijon mustard
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
75 ml sunflower or other mild-flavoured oil
1 tbsp lemon juice


Catalan Wilted Spinach
Serves 6

500 g baby spinach leaves       
120 g raisins     
80 g pine nuts       
200 ml Pedro Ximnez      
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced     
6 tbsp olive oil       
Pinch salt    
Lemon juice          
          

Method

    
          
Fried Calamari Bocadillos with Alioli
Clean the calamari. Start by peeling off the exterior skin. Cut or pull off the wings, hold the legs and pull out of the body. Cut the legs just near the mouth and discard the innards. Remove the cartilage from inside the squid. Cut the cartilage from wings. Cut the body in half length wise. Rinse the legs, wings and body. Cut the body and wings into 5mm strips and separate the legs.
Pre heat deep fryer to 180°C.
Place the calamari in a bowl. Season with a good few pinches of sea salt, lemon juice and sprinkle over the semolina. Mix well. Shake off the excess semolina and deep fry the calamari for 1 minute – 90 seconds until lightly golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Season.
Cut the rolls in half, spoon on half a tablespoon of alioli on each, a guindilla torn in half and some of the calamari. Secure with a wooden skewer and serve.

Alioli
To make the aioli, place the garlic clove on a chopping board. Coarsely chop, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and crush to a paste using the flat side of a heavy knife. Place a bowl on a folded damp tea towel. This will stop the bowl from moving around during whisking. Place the egg yolk, mustard and garlic paste in the bowl and gently combine using a balloon whisk. Combine the oils and, while whisking continuously, drizzle into the bowl, a few drops at a time. Each addition of oil needs to be emulsified into the egg yolk mixture before adding more. Continue whisking and slowly adding the oil until it is all used up. The aioli should gradually become thicker. Check for seasoning, then dissolve the appropriate amount of salt in the lemon juice and whisk into the alioli. Whisk in 2 teaspoons of warm water to stop the alioli from splitting. This makes 200g. Refrigerate the alioli, covered with plastic wrap touching the surface, for up to 3 days.

Catalan Wilted Spinach
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Wash and dry the baby spinach leaves and set aside in a large stainless steel bowl.
Soak the raisins in a small bowl with the Pedro Ximenez. 
Lay the pine nuts on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat in a medium pan. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Pour the hot oil and garlic over the spinach and mix well with tongs or salad servers. Add the raisins and the Pedro Ximenez, lemon juice and season with a pinch of salt. Toss. Allow to sit for 15 minutes tossing the dressing through the leaves every five minutes or so. Check the seasoning again before serving.


MoVida's Cocina By Frank Camorra & Richard Cornish, Murdoch Books, RRP: $50.00