Garlic Calamari Au Gratin
INGREDIENTS
1/3 to 1/2 pound fresh calamaari squid rings
2/3 to 1/2 1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 to 2 tablespoons dry grated parmesan cheese, to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped Itallian leaf parsley
Canola oil, cooking spray
Extra virgin olive oil
Pat of unsalted butter, optional
PREPARATION
Slice fresh calamari into bite size rings.
In a small pan, heat a small amount of olive oil, add calamari rings, season with salt and pepper and quickly saute until the calamari is cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, dry grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and chopped parsley (reserve some of the parsley for garnish). Mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper.
Coat small shallow baking dish canola oil or other cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Add cooked calamari rings to the baking dish.
Spoon the garlic panko mixture over the calamari and coat generously. It will seem as though there is excess panko mixture, but when baked, it will add delicious, crunchy, flavor to the dish. Season with a touch more salt and pepper, optional.
Drizzle a generous portion of olive oil over the au gratin. For a richer flavor, cube a pat of butter and sprinkle on top of the au gratin.
In an oven or toaster oven, broil the au gratin until the au gratin has a golden brown crust, or until desired color. Garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately.