California Seafood : Cooking California Seafood : CALAMARI ANTIPASTO

A good idea from Times Test Kitchen cook Mayi Brady

1/3 cup olive oil

8 small squid, cleaned and sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

2 red bell peppers, roasted, seeded, peeled and cut into strips

3/4 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup caperberries

1 cup bottled marinated mushrooms

1 baguette, sliced and grilled or toasted

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add squid and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and let squid come to room temperature. Mix roasted peppers with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange squid, peppers, olives, feta, caperberries, mushrooms and bread slices on large platter.

Makes 4 first-course servings. Each serving contains about: 584 calories; 1,67 mg sodium; 324 mg cholesterol; 34 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams protein; 1.24 grams fiber.

STEAMED ROCK FISH WITH LEMON SOY SAUCE

This fish, a recipe developed by Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane, is excellent served with stir-fried bok choy and steamed rice.

1 whole rock fish, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds

Salt

1 green onion, green part only

2 to 3 slices ginger root

Few sprigs cilantro

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons thin strips ginger root

1 tablespoon minced green onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 small serrano chile

4 to 6 shiitake mushrooms

Wash fish thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry. Make 3 diagonal slits on each side of fish. Season inside cavity of fish with salt to taste. Place green onion top, ginger slices and cilantro sprigs inside cavity of fish. Place fish on platter that will fit into steamer.

Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, ginger strips, minced green onion, garlic, and serrano chile in bowl. Pour sauce over fish. Place whole shiitake mushrooms around fish. Place fish in steamer, cover and steam until fish flakes easily with fork, 6 to 7 minutes.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Each serving contains about:

363 calories; 2,83 mg sodium; 102 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 59 grams protein; 0.29 gram fiber.

* Fossil glass platter and glass frosted stars from Archipelago, at the L.A. Mart.

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Kitchen Tip

Cleaning calamari can seem a daunting task, but it’s really easier than cutting up a chicken. Just remember that a squid is basically a sac within a sac. The parts you want to cook are the outer sac and the tentacles, which are attached to the inner sac.

As adapted from Marcella Hazan, here’s the method: Starting with a whole squid, hold the outer sac in one hand and the tentacles in the other. Pull. The tentacles should come free, along with an inner sac. Cut away the inner sac just below the eyes, then squeeze the top of the tentacles. A hard little beak should pop out.

To clean the outer sac, pull out the thin quill bone that runs its length. Under cold running water, rinse out the inside of the sac and peel off the thin membrane that covers the outside. Wash the tentacles in cold water, then pat everything dry.