Warm Salad with Calamari

Ingredients

• 1 pound cleaned calamari (tubes and tentacles)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus a pinch for garnish
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Salad Base:
• 4 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
• 1 (15 ounce) can cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Slic the calamari tubes into thin rings, about a quarter-inch thick. If your tentacles are on the larger side, cut those in half. Toss the calamari in a bowl with some oil, red pepper flakes, chipotle powder, cayenne, brown sugar, jalapeno slices, and a pinch of salt. Give everything a good mix so the flavors really come together.

Step 2

In another bowl, combine the arugula and beans. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat, and set aside.

Step 3

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s just about smoking. Add the calamari and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns opaque—this should only take around 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook it.

Step 4

Take the skillet off the heat and immediately spoon the calamari over the arugula and beans. Finish with a little extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice on top. If you like a bit of heat, sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes before serving.