Cornish squid, oak-smoked chorizo, sherry vinegar and baby onions by Toby Gritten
Ingredients
About 25 baby onions, peeled
1kg fresh Cornish squid, cleaned, scored and cut into workable-sized pieces
2 small smoked chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
100ml good-quality sherry vinegar
400ml chicken stock
A good handful of flat-leaf parsley
Method
First, colour the onions in a small pan in a little butter and olive oil. Add a small sprinkle of sugar and keep stirring until the onions begin to caramelise. Add 200ml of the chicken stock, reduce the heat, cover and cook slowly till the onions are tender, then set aside.
Get a deep frying pan or skillet really hot with a dash of olive oil. Season the squid with salt and white pepper, place in the pan scored side down and sear until the flesh begins to colour. Turn the pieces over and cook a little longer (well-prepped squid will roll up scored side out when it is cooked). Remove the squid from the pan and slice. This may have to be done in a few stages depending on the size of pan.
Add the chorizo and sear for a minute or two stirring continuously to colour the meat and release some of the flavoursome meat fats. Pour in the sherry vinegar, deglaze the pan and reduce by two-thirds.
Finally, add the remaining chicken stock, the squid, onions and parsley and bring back up to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Can be served with grilled bread, rocket or saffron potatoes.
Toby Gritten, head chef, the Albion, Bristol