August 3, 2011

Chef Giancarlo Ferrera from Arcodoro shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make calamari salad. Tomato granita is a unique base for the salad. This dish is on the menu at Arcodoro during Houston Restaurant Weeks 2011. It’s part of the $35 three-course
dinner they are serving to benefit the Houston Food Bank from August 1-31. Everytime someone orders the special dinner, Arcodoro will donate $5 to the food bank. To view the entire HRW menu for Arcodoro, visit the Houston Restaurant Weeks website.

Calamari from Arcodoro for Houston Restaurant Weeks: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

 For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)

Granita di Pomodoro con Calamaretti (Serves 4)
Granita of Organic campari tomatoes, flavored with orange zest & mint, served with a fresh baby calamari salad
From the Private Collection of Arcodoro & Pomodoro
Prepared by Chef Giancarlo Ferrera

Ingredients

• 2 lb ripe tomatoes,quartered
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 orange,zest
• 1 sprig of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of horseradish
• 1 lb fresh baby calamari, cleaned
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 shallot, halved
• 2 lemons
• 1 tsp parsley, chopped
• 4 stalks of celery hearts
• 6 yellow teardrop tomato, quartered
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ lb of spring mix lettuce
• 1 oz micro greens
• Sea salt and pepper

Directions
1. One Day Before, prepare the granita of tomato: Put the quartered tomatoes in a blender with the tomato juice, horseradish, & the orange zest.
Blend for one minute and run it through a sieve into a bowl. Add salt and pepper & chopped mint. Mix well and place in the freezer overnight.
2. For the calamari: Boil water in a medium pot with bay leaf, half of lemon, shallots & pinch of salt. Boil the calamari for 1 min, drain and cool for 5 mins.
3. Cut the calamari tube in rings & cut heads in half. Put in a bowl & toss with extra virgin olive oil, juice of the remaining 1 ½ lemons, chopped parsley,
yellow tomatoes and the bottom part of the celery. Julienne the rest. Season with sea salt & fresh ground pepper. Set aside.
4. To serve: Prepare four frozen martini glasses with chopped salad on the bottom. With an ice cream scooper, scoop two balls of tomato granita for each glass.
On top of the granita arrange the calamari & finish with micro greens Garnish with the top of the celery stick.