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Linguini with Heirloom Tomatoes, Capers, White Wine and Calamari

By Heidi Allison

Nothing tastes like a fresh, vine-ripened, summer tomato sauce. So, what do you do in Fall, Winter and Spring, when cravings for that luscious, fresh tomato tase hit, and, home-grown tomatoes are impossible to come by? When tomatoes are out-of-season, this recipe delivers on “vine-ripened taste”, and, introduces a culinary trick that slashes prep time in less than half! No kidding...no peeling or parboiling needed to remove tough tomatoes skins with this recipe!
Image of Heirloom Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes, a commercial product now available year-round, is the closest in flavor to great, home-grown, summer tomatoes, and, are the foundation of this dish. Not only is the sweet tomato flesh used, the flavor-packed heirloom tomato seeds are also incorporated, which further enhances its “fresh-tomato” taste. (Roma tomato-based sauces often remove seeds since they impart a bitter taste). Add fresh herbs, lots of garlic and squeaky-clean, fresh squid, you’ll think it’s still the dog days of summer!

This clever recipe also introduces a new culinary technique that is a game-changer: it cuts your cooking time in half by side-stepping the traditional labor-intensive method of peeling tomatoes via initially par-boiling, then cooling in an ice water bath to loosen tough skins, and finally peeling skins by hand. Instead, just cut your tomatoes in half horizontally, then grate the tomato flesh and seeds, using a large-hole cheese grater, directly into the pan until you reach the skin; then stop grating, and discard the skin. Repeat this step with the rest of the tomatoes. That’s it! This process goes so fast and easy; you’ll never look back, and, you will be eating fresh tomato-based dishes more often!

Another trick that ensures a fresh taste is properly brining and rinsing the squid…do not skip this steps if you want that ocean-fresh taste.

Linguini with Heirloom Tomatoes, Capers, White Wine and Calamari
Serves: 2 as an entree; 4 as a side

Ingredients:
Image of Ingredients for Linguini with Heirloom Tomatoes, Capers, White Wine and Calamari
½ pound Linguini
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 large cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tablespoons Pinot Grigio Wine
1 Tablespoon Capers
2½ pounds Large Red and Yellow Heirloom Tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
½ pound Squid Body and Tentacles, cleaned and body cut into ½ inch slices
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped
5 Mild, Buttery-Flavored Green Olives, pitted and chopped
Zest of ½ Lemon
Juice of ½ Lemon
1 teaspoon Good-Quality, Unsalted European Butter

Preparation:

Place a large pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and add linguini. Cook until just shy of el dente; drain and place in serving bowls.

Cleaning Squid:
Image of squid and calamari
Place squid in a medium bowl, cover with water and add 1 Tablespoon sea salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, then agitate with your hands until a foam foams. Rinse and repeat this step until water runs clear —about more 3 times.

Set drained calamari aside and cover.

Heirloom Tomato Sauce:
Image of Heirloom Tomato Sauce
Place olive oil in a medium skillet on low heat and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute or until garlic turns light yellow. Add wine, capers, olives and sauté for 1 minute more. Grate tomatoes into pan using a large-hole cheese grater, stopping when you reach the skin; discard the skin.

Heat sauce on low heat, shaking occasionally while the pasta is cooking.

Drain pasta and place in serving bowls.

Add squid to tomato sauce and cook for 45 seconds, then add lemon juice, lemon zest and butter, and shake pan back and forth a few times until butter is dissolved; then ladle sauce over pasta.

Sprinkle with parsley (or basil) and serve immediately.
Image of Linguini with Heirloom Tomatoes, Capers, White Wine and Calamari
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