Squid rings in tomato sauce Spanish style

INGREDIENTS

500 gms squid rings
1/2 medium sized onion, minced
6 – 7 cloves garlic, mince
3 – 4 guindilla
2/3 pack tomato paste
1 cap Sherry vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Mix the tomato paste with 200 ml water. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan and slowly fry the tomato paste until it is reduced and you can see the oil. Cover or the tomato will splatter. This should take 20 – 30 minutes on a slow fire.

In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the minced onions and garlic, then cover and let it sweat on a low fire. When the onions are transparent and soft, add the guindilla and mix well. Once the tomato paste is reduced, add it to the saucepan with salt to taste and 1/2 cup water. Let simmer.

Boil some water and blanch the squid rings for exactly 45 seconds. Any more and they will become rubbery. Remove and let drain.

When the sauce is reduced, switch off the fire and add the squid rings, mixing through.

Serve hot with bread or rice.

NOTE: This sauce is pretty universal! Use this to cook clams (fry the clams first to remove all the fluid) or serve as a sauce for grilled fish or chicken.