Seafood Made Simple: Creamy polenta is perfect with this tomato-rich squid ragu

Squid and Polenta Ragu prepared by Aishling Moore. Picture Chani Anderson

Collaboration is a huge part of the culture of the hospitality industry. It’s what makes it such an enjoyable and dynamic community to be a part of; sharing knowledge, solving problems and bringing people together.

Collaboration is a huge part of my day job, building a daily-changing menu with the team of chefs at Goldie, liaising with producers to better understand produce, tasting wines and configuring tables.

So when food writer Ali Dunworth got in touch to see if I’d like to be involved in a series of dinners entitled ‘Chefs Stories’ at Roe & Co Distillery, I jumped at the chance.

Four chefs, one from each province, were lined-up. 

Melissa McCabe of Feast in Co Down kicked things off in August; then JP McMahon of Aniar in Co Galway; followed by Graham Herterich of Cupcake Block fame in Dublin. 

I’m very much looking forward to cooking at the distillery between Friday September 26 and Sunday 28.

Each of us was tasked with compiling a five-course menu that tells our life-story through food, which will then be paired with Roe & Co whiskey.

An atypical pairing to my food, it's been such fun working with the team developing this menu and tasting the pairings.

The immersive experience will take place in a series of different rooms inside the beautiful distillery on James's Street in Dublin 8.

As direction for the menu, we were challenged to come up with dishes under five headings — Inspire, Admire, Perspire, Aspire and Retire — each course telling a piece of our stories through food.

Tickets are available at roeandcowhiskey.com.

This weekend’s recipe is a combination I love, a tomato-rich ragu of buttery braised squid with the perfect accompaniment; a side of creamy polenta. 

I’ve opted to go without the usual addition of cheese in this polenta but feel free to add as you wish.

Squid ragu with creamy polenta

recipe by:Aishling Moore

This weekend’s recipe is a combination I love, a tomato rich ragu of buttery braised squid with the perfect accompaniment; a side of creamy polenta. I’ve opted to go without the usual addition of cheese in this polenta but feel free to add as you wish.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 40 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the ragu:

• 3 tbsp golden rapeseed oil

• 1 onion finely diced

• 1 stick of celery, finely diced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 150ml white wine

• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 350g squid

• Sea salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• ½ bunch basil to serve

• For the polenta:

• 100g polenta

• 200ml milk

• 2 spigs of rosemary

• 1 bay leaf

• ¼ of a whole nutmeg

• Sea salt

Method

1. First prepare the squid; remove the outer membrane if still attached and dice both the mantle and tentacles into bite-sized pieces.

2. Rinse to remove any lingering innards and drain. Set aside.

3. Heat a medium-sized heavy-based pot on medium-low heat.

4. Warm the rapeseed oil and sweat the finely diced onion and celery until translucent. This should take between 8-10 minutes.

5. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook for a further 2 minutes.

6. Next, increase the heat to medium high and add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape the bottom to release any sediment.

7. Reduce the wine by half before adding the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Season well with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

8. Add the diced squid and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the squid is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste to correct seasoning.

9. Finish with torn basil leaves.

10. To make the polenta, heat the milk, rosemary, bay leaf and 300ml of water over a high heat in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Season generously with sea salt.

11. Once the pot comes to the boil remove the bay leaf and rosemary and discard.

12. Add the polenta and whisk continuously for two minutes.

13. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 35-40 minutes stirring regularly until the polenta begins to come away from the sides of the pot.

14. Grate in the nutmeg and add the unsalted butter. Whisk well to emulsify.

15. Taste to correct seasoning and serve piping hot with the ragu.

Fish tales

• This ragu, like most braises, is even better served the day after it's made, so it's the perfect seafood supper for getting ahead. I would recommend making the polenta just before serving.
• The squid ragu freezes wonderfully, and is therefore a brilliant option for batch-cooking.
• Seasoning in stages is key to building a flavourful stew or ragu.
• Ask your fishmonger to remove the beak, quill and internal organs of the squid to make for easier dicing at home.
• This ragu is also excellent folded through pasta; any shape would work if you’d rather avoid making polenta.
• You could also layer this ragu through some pasta sheets for a seafood lasagne.
• If you wanted to add a little more seafood, a couple of handfuls of mussels would be a delicious addition.