Squid with Flat Beans
A fond food memory from Madrid: stir fried saffron squid with flat beans! Or in Spanish: judías con calamares... Surprising combo!
Ingredients
- 9 oz fresh baby squid (250 g)
- 1 lb fresh flat beans (450 g)
- 1 medium garlic clove
- a pinch saffron threads or powder
- 1 bay leaf
- olive oil
- paprika powder
- a handful fresh mint
- salt
Instructions
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Soak the saffron threads in a tiny bit of water. If you are using saffron powder, skip this step. Clean the squid: see
here how to clean squids step by step. Once the squid is cleaned and rinsed well, cut the squid into smaller bite-size rings. Put the squid in the fridge for now.
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Trim the flat beans and cut them into bite-size bits. Add them together with the chopped garlic clove and a little olive oil to a large non-stick pan.
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Stir and gently pan fry the garlic and beans for a couple of minutes. Then put a lid on the pan and cook the beans for 6 to 7 minutes until cooked but still a little crunchy.
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Transfer the flat beans to a clean plate and cover with tinfoil. Add extra olive oil to the hot pan. Turn the heat high and add the chopped up squid. Season with salt and a pinch of spicy paprika. Stir fry the squid for just 1 minute. It will be chewy and rubbery if you overcook it.
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After one minute turn off the heat. Add the flat beans back to the pan together with the soaked saffron and its soaking water (or the saffron powder).
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Stir the squid and beans well, add the fresh mint leaves and let it all sit in the hot pan for another 2 minutes. Check the seasoning and add extra salt or spicy paprika. Scoop the squid and flat beans onto deep plates, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
