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Polenta encrusted calamari with warm caponata

30 minutes

Polenta encrusted calamari with warm caponata

By Phillippa Cheifitz

Serves 4

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cooking Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the caponata

2 medium brinjals (400–500 g), cut into chunks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for frying
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
3-4 sticks celery
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 x 400 g can chopped Italian tomatoes
¼ cup rinsed and smashed green olives
2 T capers, rinsed
2 T crimson raisins or currants
1 t dried oregano
2-3 t sugar
a handful of basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley, torn
2 T pine nuts, lightly toasted

For the calamari

4 calamari steaks, at room temperature
2 free-range eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup polenta
½ cup cake flour
sunflower oil, for frying

Method

To make the caponata: Sprinkle the brinjal with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry well, then fry in a few tablespoons of hot oil, adding more if necessary, until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the brinjal from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat a little more oil. Add the onion and cook gently until softened, then stir in the garlic. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the celery. Discard the coarse shavings and cut the peeled sticks into chunks. Add the latter to the garlic-onion mixture and fry until starting to soften. Add the reserved brinjal and season to taste. Pour in the vinegar and allow to evaporate over a brisk heat. Add the tomato, olive, capers, raisins or currants, oregano and sugar. Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid reduced. Check seasoning, then stir in the basil or parsley and sprinkle with pine nuts.
To prepare the calamari: Using the flat side of a mallet, bash the calamari steaks between sheets of baking paper until they are as thin as schnitzels. Pat dry with paper towels. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with some seasoning. In another bowl, mix the polenta and fl our together, adding a little seasoning. Dip the steaks first in egg and then in the flour mixture. Fry the steaks, in batches, in medium-hot oil until golden, just cooked and tender. Remove with tongs and drain on a wire rack placed on a baking tray (if necessary, keep warm in a low oven).
Serve with the warm caponata.
Per serving: 2135.1 KJ, 25 g protein, 33.1 g fat, 29.8 g carbs

TASTE’s take:
They may look glamorous, but these affordable midweek meals are as easy as one, two, three.

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Polenta encrusted calamari with warm caponata

Polenta encrusted calamari with warm caponata

Ingredients

Method