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  1. Home Cook’s Test: Spicy Calamari with Salmon Bacon
Home Cook's Test: Spicy Calamari with Salmon Bacon

Home Cook's Test: Spicy Calamari with Salmon Bacon

Michelle Lee | |

This simple recipe makes a light and nutritious lunch! Everything comes together easily in under 30 minutes, and the simplicity of this preparation really lets the seafood shine. The recipe is light, lean, nutritious and beautiful on the plate, making it a striking choice to serve company. Please feel free to adjust the spice to your taste – the recipe as written is considered "medium spicy".

Home Cook's Test: Spicy Calamari with Salmon Bacon

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 4 slices Vital Choice Wild Alaskan Salmon Bacon, thawed (or pork bacon)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Vital Choice organic extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces Vital Choice Wild Calamari, thawed
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 bunch of scallions (4 to 6), chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Drain thawed calamari and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tubes into ½ inch rings and halve tentacles lengthwise. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and set aside with scallions and red pepper flakes.
  2. Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Once quinoa is finished and all the moisture is absorbed, toss with juice and zest of one lemon and season to taste with salt. Gently stir in baby spinach leaves, which will wilt slightly in the warm quinoa.
  3. As the quinoa cooks, heat a small amount of oil (½ teaspoon or so) in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon bacon and quickly sear, turning once, about 1 minute per side. Please don’t overcook. (Pork bacon wil take longer to cook through.)
  4. Once lightly browned, crumble or slice bacon to use as garnish on the finished calamari. Once the quinoa is ready to serve and bacon is prepared, heat a small bit of oil (½ to 1 teaspoon) over medium-high heat ( or use the pan you seared the salmon bacon in). 
  5. Sauté the scallions, red pepper flakes and calamari 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Garnish sautéed calamari with salmon bacon and serve with lemon-spinach quinoa. Enjoy!
Serves: Serves 2