Name: Baby Squid with Confit Onions
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 800 g beach squid (5 or 6 per person if they are small); 1 Kg Figueres onion; 200 ml olive oil; 2 fulles bay leaf; 1 cup white wine; konjac; salt and pepper; black pepper; Optional: dried apricots, candied plums; chopped parsley.

Baby Squid with Confit Onions

Tender beach calamari accompanied by confit Figueres onion, infused with mild olive oil for a delicious and succulent dish.

Ingredients

Servings:

Ingredients

800 gbeach squid (5 or 6 per person if they are small)
1 KgFigueres onion
200 mlolive oil
2 fullesbay leaf
1 cupwhite wine
konjac
salt and pepper
black pepper
Optional: dried apricots, candied plums
chopped parsley.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories

748 kcal

Protein

34 g

Fat

53 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Sofrito

Slice the onion into fine julienne strips, ensuring that all slices are of uniform thickness for even cooking.
Gently sweat the onion over low heat in a pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring occasionally for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the onion takes on a deep golden color and is completely translucent.
About 30 minutes before the onions are fully caramelized, add a whole bay leaf for aroma.
(Optional) Add 50 grams of dried apricots or pitted prunes, and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring to blend flavors well and allowing the fruits to become tender.

Baby Squids

Clean the squid, ensuring the fins remain well attached to the body. Remove the tentacles and set them aside for another dish.
Place a bit of oil in a pan and heat it over medium-high heat until it is very hot.
Sauté the squid in the pan for about 3-4 minutes until they are golden. Add a splash of cognac and let the alcohol flambé. Note: Turn off the extractor fan if it's running before pouring in the cognac.
Let the squid cook over medium heat until all the water has evaporated, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the squid to the pot where the caramelized onion is, and stir well.
Pour a glass of white wine into the pot and let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, taste, and adjust if needed.
Meanwhile, prepare a fine chop of fresh parsley.
Lastly, incorporate the chopped parsley into the calamari and stir well to integrate before serving.

Recommendations & Tricks

Use at least 1 kg of Figueres onion sliced into thin julienne to ensure there is enough for the confit process.
Sweat the onions in a large pot with 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Stir every 15 minutes for 1:30 - 2:00 hours until they achieve a deep golden color and a syrupy texture.
Add 1 bay leaf when the onions are halfway through cooking, roughly at the one-hour mark.
Optional: Incorporate 100 g of dried apricots or pitted prunes during the last 10 minutes of confiting to add a subtle sweetness.
To prepare the baby squid, clean them under cold water, removing the insides and quills. Leave the fins attached and reserve the tentacles for another dish.
Heat a wide pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on high heat until the oil is very hot (approximately 2-3 minutes).
Sauté the baby squid in the hot oil without overcrowding them. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until they are golden and firm up.
Once the baby squid are golden, pour a splash of cognac (about 50 ml) into the pan and flambé the alcohol with a long lighter or spark. Only do this if you have experience with this technique and always under supervision.