The Dish: Sauteed Calamari

I love to cook. Here's is a delicious meal from the Martha Stewart Show:

Sauteed Calamari
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced salted anchovies
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
One 32-ounce can crushed tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
1 tablespoon capers
1 bunch basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons golden raisins
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds squid, cleaned, tentacles removed and trimmed, and bodies cut into very thin rings
8 slices baguette, cut on a bias
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Thinly slice 3 cloves garlic. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes; cook until garlic has browned. Stir in tomatoes; transfer to oven and roast until dried and thickened, about 20 minutes.
Add reserved tomato juice to cooked tomato mixture and stir to reconstitute sauce. Add capers, basil, pine nuts, and raisins; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper; place over low heat to keep warm.
Heat a large skillet and add 3 tablespoons olive oil; heat until smoking. Add squid, cook, stirring constantly, until squid rings begin to open up and become firm, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce to skillet, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until squid is opaque and sauce is hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
Preheat a grill pan. Drizzle bread with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until toasted on both sides. Rub cut sides of toasted bread with remaining clove of garlic.
Divide calamari evenly among 4 shallow bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley. Serve immediately with toasted bread.
First published: February 2007

Look at the mess I made. I think this recipe is way too complicated. I could have made many short cuts, and this would have been way easier. The whole draining off the juice was messy and silly. I would just saute and not do the roasting.

I got calamari from the local Asian Market. I used frozen and just added it at the end. I used whole wheat bread and toasted it in stead of the bagettes. Make this, it's good!!!