Fried Calamari

Another one of those apps I always found myself ordering and half the time being disappointed and half the time being satisfied.  No more, We have taken measures against suffering with crappy calamari.... Now I am not a purest, so My breading is more than flour, and I didn't feel the need to take the skin off. But Just flour works as a great breading.

Ingredients

Squid/Calamari

Flour

Bread Crumbs

Salt & Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Oil to fry in

Lemon if you want it

Method

Make your breading of 50/50 flour bread crumbs salt, pepper, and a LITTLE cayenne    pepper (or just flour)

Cut your squid into rings, and the skirts

get rid of all beaks, and the ink, and all that

Roll the calamari around in your breading

Heat your oil up to frying temperatures

Drop your calamari in to fry for about 2 minutes

Serve

Super Easy yet still super impressive.  I am a huge fan of cozze or mussels.  Easy, tasty, inexpensive and quick... what is not to like?  Adds a nice seafood starter that can stand by itself as a snack.Mussels should still be alive.  Tap  the mussel on something hard and it should close.  If not discard while debearding the mussels.Take a pot, does not have to be huge depending on how many cozze.  Cover the bottom in olive oil (or whatever oil you like to use) and throw in a couple of cloves of garlic.  I usually chop it finely to better release the flavor Just don't burn them.... (but I have left the cloves whole before)Sometimes if I am feeling it ill put some onions in that I will soften before the garlicNow you can put a glass of white wine in to boil or your cozze I don't think it really matters.  Liquid doesnt splash if the cozze go in first. The cozze should not be more then halfway up the potCover, and steam for a couple of minutesThrow in some parsley and stirSteam for a bit linger maybe a minute or two.  The cozze are done when they open.  If they don't open they are rubbish.

1. 1 Kilo /2.2lbs of Mussels
2. Olive oil
3. Fresh Parsley 
4. 3 Cloves of Garlic
5. 1 Glass of White wine

Another easy way to prepare my favorite shell fish.  Usually about a lb of mussels per person is about right.  As with all sea food, I cant stress how important fresh is to the taste.  Avoid subpar shellfish at all costs Same technique as the steamed mussels above but add tomatoes after the garlic.  Allow the tomatoes to cook down a bit before steaming with your wine.

Ingredients

Mussels

Cherry tomatoes

Add Parsley

Oil

Garlic cloves

White wine

option chili powder, red pepper, or another hot spice

Method

1. Prep your ingredients.  Cut your tomatoes in half, debeard/clean your mussels
2. Start the garlic in the pot in oil.  I slice mine, but you can dice, chop, or leave whole
3. Add your tomatoes over medium heat
4. Add Parsely
5. When the tomatoes have a nice juice going in the pot add maybe a glass of white wine
6. Bring to a boil and add your Mussels and cover
7. After a minute and half add some more parsely
8. When the majority of mussels are open (3-5 minutes) they are done.  Discard any that do not open.

Serve with bread