Recipe: Squid carbonara

Squid carbonara

Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 2

Note: Adapted from Ludo Lefebvre. To cut lardons, cut the pancetta into one-half-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice crosswise into one-half-inch-thick strips and trim so each lardon is one inch in length. Lefebvre uses an immersion circulator to cook the eggs, but poached eggs are called for here.

Parmesan sauce

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, reduce the chicken broth and heavy cream by three-fourths. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and whisk until incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside. This makes about 1 cup sauce, more than is needed for the recipe. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 3 days.

Squid carbonara

12 squid tubes

6 tablespoons lard

About 4 ounces pancetta (cut into lardons, 1-inch long by 1/2-inch thick; see note above)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan sauce, divided

2 poached eggs

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided

12 chive flowers, or finely sliced chives, for garnish

1. Peel the membrane from the squid heads. Slice the head lengthwise along the tube and lay the squid flat. Slice the squid into one-fourth-inch slices to make “noodles.”

2. Heat the lard in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the lardons and cook until they are lightly crisp on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside on a paper towel.

3. In a small saute pan heated over medium-low heat, add the olive oil, swirling it around the base of the pan. Place the squid in the pan and cook quickly until just opaque, about 10 to 15 seconds, and remove to a paper towel.

4. Place half the squid in the center of each of two plates. Place 2 tablespoons Parmesan sauce over each plate of squid. Place a poached egg on top of the squid and sprinkle ground pepper over the eggs. Place half the lardons around the squid on each plate. With your hand up high, sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan onto each plate so it looks like snow. Sprinkle chive flowers or chives for garnish. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 686 calories; 43 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 53 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 694 mg. cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 725 mg. sodium.