This recipe is adapted from one shared by executive chef Wesley Ross of the Hot Metal Grille on the South Side. From the restaurant’s appetizer menu, it has been adjusted and tested for the home kitchen. You’ll need about 30 pieces of squid. The marinated calamari also can be sauteed with diced Roma tomatoes and served on a bed of mixed field greens. The marinara sauce and balsamic reduction can be made a day ahead of serving; refrigerate.

3 pounds uncleaned squid; or 16 to 18 ounces cleaned squid, bodies sliced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch-thick rings, tentacles whole Blend of canola and vegetable oil, for deep-frying Balsamic Vinegar Reduction ( recipe follows ) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Fresh lemon wedges Marinara Sauce ( recipe follows ) Crushed red pepper, to taste For the marinade: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon) 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco) 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups whole or 2 percent milk For the coating: 1 1/2 tablespoons dried tarragon 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper 2 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt) 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 cup all-purpose flour Clean the squid, if necessary. Slice the bodies into rings. Set aside the rings and tentacles. To make the marinade : Combine the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, crushed red pepper, salt, dried minced garlic, tarragon and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Whisk in the milk. Add the squid rings and tentacles. Cover and marinate at least overnight in the refrigerator and for as long as 3 days. When ready to cook, prepare the coating : Mix the tarragon, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder and white pepper. Using a whisk, stir in the flour. Set aside. Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep heavy pot to 350 to 375 degrees. Check with a candy thermometer to ensure the proper temperature is reached, unless you are using an electric deep-fryer with a thermostat. Remove the calamari and marinade from the refrigerator; drain briefly in a strainer, if desired. When the oil is heated, grab a handful of squid, squeeze out some of the marinade and, using your hands, transfer the squid to the seasoned flour. Toss well, making sure the flour adheres to the squid, particularly the insides of the rings. Tap off excess flour. Gently lower the squid into the hot fat. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the squid coating is turning a light brown. Do not cook for more than 2 minutes total. Remove the squid from the fat, using a fine wire mesh strainer, and place onto wire racks to drain (set the racks over paper towels to absorb the oil). Immediately transfer the squid to a serving platter or individual dishes, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with some of the marinara sauce, heated, that has been seasoned with crushed red pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings. Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a saucepan or skillet and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil until syrupy, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in a squeeze bottle or plastic container with a lid until needed. Marinara sauce 2 tablespoons vegetable oil {3/4} cup minced yellow onion 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 (28 ounces) can canned diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (28 ounces) can tomato puree 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1{ 1/2} teaspoons minced dried garlic Kosher salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste Sugar, to taste Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook gently over low heat — “sweat” them — until they are translucent but not browned, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot, if desired. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir in the herbs, garlic, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 8 minutes, more until the desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and black pepper if desired. If the mixture is too tart, add a pinch of sugar. From “The Best of Gourmet 2004” by the editors of Gourmet magazine (Conde Nast Books, $35). This recipe was featured in a section of the book called “The Flavors of Rome.” Pasta with Squid, Tomatoes and Capers 1 pound cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated but kept intact 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 (1 1/2-inch) fresh red or green Thai or serrano chile, halved crosswise 1/2 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup drained bottled capers, rinsed, patted dry and coarsely chopped 1/2 pound campanelle (small bell-shaped pasta) Water, for cooking pasta Salt 1/2 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted 1 (1 by 1/2-inch) strip fresh lemon peel, finely chopped Freshly ground black pepper, to taste If the squid are large, halve the ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles, if attached, crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Pull off the flaps from the squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut the bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Pat the squid dry. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute the garlic and chile, stirring, until fragrant, for about 30 seconds. Add the squid and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and wine and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the raisins and capers and simmer, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Cook the pasta in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture with 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, pine nuts, lemon peel, salt to taste and black pepper. If the pasta looks dry, moisten with more cooking water. Divide the pasta among 4 plates, then drizzle each serving with some of the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Makes 4 first-course servings. This recipe is from “Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen” by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich (Alfred A. Knopf, $35). Bastianich is proprietor of Lidia’s Pittsburgh restaurant in the Strip District. Salmon, snapper or swordfish work well in this soup. Savory Seafood Stew (Zuppa di Pesce) For the soup base: 2 small leeks 2 quarts water 1 (35 ounces) can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, undrained 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 2 medium carrots, trimmed and sliced thick 1 large onion, cut into thick slices 10 sprigs fresh thyme Peel of 1/2 lemon, removed in wide strips using a vegetable peeler 1/2 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt, to taste To prepare the soup: 4 medium-size squid (about 1 1/4 pounds) 2 small leeks 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 cloves garlic, peeled 1 large onion, sliced thin 18 medium-size sea scallops (about 1/2 pound) 8 ounces fresh firm-textured fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces 24 mussels, cleaned 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1/2 pound) { 1/4} cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley Salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste Crusty Italian bread

To make the soup base : Using only the white parts of the 2 small leeks, trim and clean them and cut into 3-inch lengths. You’ll have about 2 cups. In a saucepan, combine the leeks, water, tomatoes, wine, carrots, onion, thyme, lemon peel and saffron, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a lively simmer and cook until reduced by about 1/3, for about 45 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil, season the mixture lightly with salt and continue to simmer until the liquid portion of the soup base is reduced to about 8 cups, for about 20 minutes. Strain the soup base into a 3-quart saucepan and keep it warm over low heat. Discard the solids. The soup base can be prepared as long as 3 days in advance and refrigerated. If necessary, clean the squid, leaving the tentacles whole, and cut the bodies crosswise into 1/2-inch rings. If you have prepared the soup base in advance, bring it to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Adjust the heat to very low and keep warm. Using only the white parts of the 2 small leeks, trim and clean them and slice 1/2-inch thick. You’ll have about 2 cups. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large — about 8-quart — heavy pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks and onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is wilted but still crunchy, for about 4 minutes. Add the squid and cook, stirring, until it turns opaque, for about 2 minutes. Pour in all but 1 cup of the hot soup base and bring to a boil. Stir in the scallops and fish fillets. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook until the seafood is barely opaque at the center, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the mussels to the soup base remaining in the saucepan. Increase the heat to high, cover the saucepan and steam over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels open, for about 3 minutes. Stir the shrimp, parsley and steamed mussels into the large pot of soup. Simmer until the shrimp is cooked through, for about 1 minute. Check the seasoning, adding salt, if necessary, and pepper. Ladle into warm soup bowls, passing a basket of bread separately. Makes 6 generous servings.

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