CALAMARI WITH PARSNIPS

Who doesn’t love Italian cuisine? For me, authentic Italian cuisine is one of the best that there is if it is well prepared. Unfortunately, with many Italian restaurants in Hamburg I feel so disappointed afterwards. Most of the time I think I could have done it better myself. During my press trip to the Prosecco region I was lucky to finally enjoy authentic Italian cuisine again. I would like to introduce one of these dishes, calamari with parsnips, tomatoes and capers. Truely a dish I fell in love with.

Dolce Vita in the Prosecco Region

I have rarely been so enthusiastic about food as in the restaurants around Treviso, Trieste, Venice and Oderzo. It was not without reason that the region was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in July 2019. The Prosecco region is located in the north of Treviso, about an hour’s drive from Venice. The area stretches from the north of Treviso to about 60 km of the foothills of the Alps. The region was certainly influenced in architecture and cuisine by the long affiliation to Austria. Especially in Trieste, which strongly reminds of Vienna, this becomes visible. Fortunately, Italy cannot be hidden in the DNA of the region. The small villages seem a bit extinct at siesta time, as soon as the temperatures become cooler, the Dolce Vita awakes.

Where the chairs are still folded after lunchtime, the wonderful atmosphere of Italy reigns later. Treviso was for me the most impressive of all the cities in the region. The city is idyllic with its small canals, the wonderful architecture paired with art. In the evening a band played on the village square. During this time the guests danced on the market place, children walked around while the adults let the delicious food fade away with a digestive. The atmosphere was infectious. Later, the volume gave me the feeling that my bed was on the market square, which I can only forgive. So I imagine Italy and Dolce Vita. If the good mood of the Venetians hasn’t conjured up a smile on your face yet, you’ll experience it with a meal and a glass of Prosecco at the latest.

No matter where we ate, every dish was an inspiration to me. Fresh regional ingredients are processed into tasty and authentic dishes. Due to the proximity to the sea, there are many fish dishes as well as seafood dishes next to pasta and vegetables on the plate. The region is not only known for its famous Prosecco but also for its good food. Of course, a glass of Prosecco is part of the meal. More about Prosecco and how you can recognize a “real Prosecco” I will write to you in the next article. Today first of all, why I fell in love with the region so much. Besides the good food and the Prosecco, nature inspired me.

Everywhere there are vineyards where Glera, the main grape variety in Prosecco, is cultivated. The lush greenery fits wonderfully into the landscape, surrounded by small villages. In addition there are woods and some hills. Those who like cycling will find idyllic routes everywhere. As soon as the small hunger or thirst comes small restaurants invite to stay. Who wants to experience how Prosecco is produced and wants to learn more about the drink and the people, should choose some winegrowers and visit them. Many offer tastings and guided tours. For information either look on the internet. Furthermore just go with the flow and you will pass many wineries that inform outside about their visiting hours. Many also offer little stores with not only Prosecco to buy but sometimes salami or other meat.

Why calamari with parsnip?

After I had the luck to experience the beautiful Prosecco region for four days, our journey ended at the Eataly in Trieste. With one last glass of Prosecco we had this wonderful dish. Since Eataly is a chain, I would not guarantee that it is a typical dish of the region, but I cannot rule it out. With bright sunshine and a view of the harbour, I enjoyed it very much. Even while I was eating, I thought about how I would cook it at home. I have supplemented the dish with a few other ingredients that complement it well for me. The tomatoes give a fruitiness and sweetness, complement the parsnips and calamari as well as the saltiness of the deep-fried capers. Calamari with parsnip can be prepared quickly and conjure up some holiday on the plate. If you are planning a vacation, you should take a closer look at the region around Venice. The Prosecco trip is absolutely worth a trip and I can not wait to be back.

Calamari with Parsnips

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

What ingredients do you need for calamari with parsnip?

• 18 ounces Calamari – ready to cook
• 2 lemons
• 8 – 10 parsnips (depending on size)
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 Large tomatoes
• approx. 6 – 8 tbsp olive oil
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil (that can adjust to high temperatures)
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

How are the calamari with parsnip prepared?

1. Rinse the calamari with cold water inside and out and dab dry. (If you don’t get them ready to cook, with some practice you can make them ready to cook. You have to pull the back out of the tube, cut off the head with your eyes and squeeze the beak out of the tentacles. Cut off the tentacles so that the eyes are no longer there. Remove the skin from the tube and the tentacles. Then rinse well, clean and dry.)
2. Peel the parsnips and cut them into even cubes about 0.2 inch. Place the cubes in cold water.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds, also cut into small cubes, marinate with a dash of olive oil, some pepper and salt.
4. Remove the capers from the varnish and drain well.
5. Skin the garlic clove and cut into thin slices.
6. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add the garlic and the dabbed calamari. Fry the calamari on each side for about 4 minutes. Take care that the garlic does not burn, if necessary remove before. At the end season with salt and pepper, squeeze lemon juice over the calamari.
7. In another pan, heat approx. 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Drain the parsnips and add to the oil. They need approx. 4-5 minutes under regular turning. Season with salt and pepper, add some lemon juice to the parsnips as well.
8. Remove the parsnips from the pan, add approx. 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan and add the capers. The capers should be well covered with oil. I always tilt the pan a little so that it goes faster and I need less oil. The capers are ready when they open like small flowers. Drain on some kitchen paper.
9. Put the parsnip cubes on the plates and the calamari on top. Put the tomato cubes to the side and the fried capers on the calamareti. Maybe season with some more salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.
10. ENJOY!