Method

First make the dressing. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the bay leaves and salt to a coarse powder. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and stir well to combine.

Cut along the long sides of the calamari tubes and spread flat. Scrape away the membranes and score the inner side of the flesh into a diamond pattern, using the tip of a sharp knife. (If the tubes are very small, leave them whole.) Fill a large bowl with the just-boiled water. Drop the tubes and tentacles into the water, leave for 1 minute, drain, and pat quite dry with kitchen paper. Heat 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of the olive oil in a frying pan set over a medium-high heat. Crumble half the chouriço sausage and finely slice the other half. Sizzle the chouriço pieces in the hot oil for a minute or two, or until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Turn the heat under the pan to its maximum and fry the calamari tubes and tentacles, in small batches, for 11⁄2 minutes, but no longer. Tip the calamari into a mixing bowl. Wipe out the frying pan, add another tablespoon of oil, turn down the heat and gently fry the garlic for 1 minute, without allowing it to brown. Pour in the prepared dressing and bubble, over a low heat, for another minute. Tip the calamari and sausage bits back into the pan, turn up the heat, and cook for a further minute, or until heated right through. Season with pepper and more salt, if necessary.

Tip the calamari onto a heated platter. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve hot, with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Extracted from “Scrumptious Food for Family & Friends” by Jane-Anne Hobbs (Random House Struik).