Spain and Squid

Recently a mainstay on my DVR has been episodes of "Spain...On the Road Again." If you haven't heard of this series, it is a PBS show that follows Mario Batali, Gwenyth Paltrow, Mark Bittman and actress Claudia Bassols as they eat their way through Spain. I thoroughly enjoy the show, especially Bitty's hunger-fueled, cantankerous outbursts and Claudia's child-like delight in everything she eats. I like that the food showcased is simple; it's not about fancy sauces and plating, it's about taking something that nature has already perfected and not screwing it up.

In one episode, Batali and Bitty ditch the girls to go "to the gym" (translation: they hit a number of tapas bars and stuff themselves silly). The duo is practically giddy with glee as they savor simple and wonderful tapas staples like prosciutto, olives and shrimp. But the plate that caught my attention, and seemed to hypnotize the two B's was the squid in its own, black ink. I knew then that I had to have some.

I found canned miniature squid in black ink at Whole Foods, and decided to get one for dinner last night. I made a simple salad of spring greens and cucumbers with a balsamic and Dijon dressing, and had it with the squid. It made for a cheap but luxurious dinner. The squid was stuffed with more squid meat and covered in a mixture of olive oil and ink. It was savory and slightly sweet and the ink added a touch of richness. Perfecto.