Chickpea And Calamari Inzimino With Swiss Chard Recipe

To learn more, read "Quick vs. Slow: Squid Edition" in our National edition. 

Adapted from Cathy Whims, Nostrana and Oven and Shaker, Portland, OR

Chickpea And Calamari Inzimino With Swiss Chard
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Cathy Whims loves this Florentien stew of squid, greens and chickpeas braised in tomatoes and red wine brings out earthy squid flavors. 
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
1.33
hours
Servings
6
servings
Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Ingredients
  • Beans 
  • 1 cup (7-ounces) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
  • Salt
  • Squid
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into ½-inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • ¾ pound fresh squid, cleaned, bodies cut into ½-inch rings, tentacles halved lengthwise
  • ½ cup drained and crushed whole canned tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup red wine
  • 2 bunches (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch (about 6 ounces) fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • Sea salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
  • Toasted bread, rubbed with the cut side of half a garlic clove and drizzled with olive oil
Directions
  1. Prepare the beans: Drain the soaked beans. Place in a large pot with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Season the bean cooking water to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. While the beans cook, set a large braising pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté until the vegetables are soft but not colored, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and dried red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squid, tomatoes and red wine and bring to a boil. Immediately add the Swiss chard and spinach to the pot and boil until the greens begin to wilt. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring the stew often, for 30 minutes. Drain the chickpeas from their cooking liquid and add them to the stew. Season to taste with salt and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more, until the squid is tender and the stew has thickened. If the stew still has a lot of liquid, remove the lid, turn the heat up and boil away the excess liquid. Divide the stew between 6 bowls and drizzle each serving with olive oil. Serve with toasted bread that has been rubbed with half of a garlic clove and drizzled with olive oil.
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