'Rosemary's ceci' – squid with rosemary and chickpeas
Item 1 of 1
- medium
- 4
- 1 hour 15 minutes
Although named after two elements of this elegant starter, the rosemary and chickpeas (or ceci in Italian) are taken to new heights with a clear squid broth and delicate pieces of crispy, golden seared squid. Although keeping the key flavours pure, Viviana Varese adds a hint of spice to the chickpeas and the wonderful woody aroma of rosemary in the shape of an infused oil. For more tips about how to cook chickpeas see our informative guide.
First published in 2016
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Rosemary oil
- 50g of rosemary leaves
- 100ml of olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
Squid broth
Seared squid
- 200g of baby squid, cleaned
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- shiso cress leaves, to garnish
Chickpeas
- 300g of cooked chickpeas
- 20g of onion, chopped
- 2g of curry powder
- 80g of vegetable stock
- 30g of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Blender
- Muslin cloth 2
Method
1
Begin with the rosemary oil as this will need to strain overnight. Place the rosemary leaves, oil and salt in a blender and process for 5 minutes to combine
- 50g of rosemary leaves
- 100ml of olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
2
Line a sieve with muslin cloth and place over a bowl. Pour the rosemary oil into the cloth and leave to strain overnight in the fridge. After this time, squeeze out any remaining oil from the cloth then discard the rosemary. Reserve the flavoured oil until ready to serve
3
To make the squid broth, place a large pan over a high heat with a little oil. Add the prepared squid and fry for a few minutes until browned all over
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 300g of squid, cleaned
4
Stir in the chopped vegetables and cook for a few minutes more until these are also coloured. Deglaze the pan with the wine and season well with salt and pepper
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 stick of celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp of white wine
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
5
Add the thyme and cover the contents of the pan with the water. Allow the broth to simmer for 45 minutes
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1l water
6
Meanwhile, put another pan over a medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and chopped onion for the chickpeas and sauté gently until softened
- 30g of extra virgin olive oil
- 20g of onion, chopped
7
Once soft, stir in the chickpeas, curry powder and a pinch of salt then pour in the vegetable stock. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are soft and the liquid has reduced – the mixture will be fairly dry
- 300g of cooked chickpeas
- 2g of curry powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 80g of vegetable stock
8
Transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse briefly to combine as a smooth purée. Keep warm until ready to serve
9
Prepare the baby squid by separating the tentacles from the cleaned bodies. Cut the bodies into pieces and lightly score with a criss-cross pattern
- 200g of baby squid, cleaned
10
Place a frying pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil. Fry the squid pieces and tentacles for 1–2 minutes until golden brown – they will curl up in the heat
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
11
Just before serving, strain the finished squid broth through a sieve lined with a muslin cloth to create a clear soup
12
Add spoonfuls of the chickpea purée to each serving plate then arrange the seared squid around them. Season with some of the reserved rosemary oil, then pour over the hot broth. Garnish with a little shiso cress to serve
- shiso cress leaves, to garnish
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