Impossibly Delicious

A favorite dinner of my adolescence was squid and leeks in red wine, a recipe my dad found in Simple French Food by Richard Olney. It strikes me as a feat of creative genius, realizing that those three ingredients would make a succulent stew. Who would ever think?

So, when it came time to harvest my barrel of leeks, naturally I cooked them with squid and red wine. The dish, which simmers for hours, is a meltingly soft stew topped with buttery croutons. The baguette that didn’t become croutons will mop up the broth; the leftover red wine makes for perfect pairing.

The trick is to keep the dish at a bare simmer: you want to preserve enough liquid so the croutons have something to soak up, but cook it at a high enough temperature that the squid and leeks will soften to the butter stage. I’ve had trouble with this, despite the fact that I have two stoves to work with. One day I’ll hit upon the correct stove, the right setting, and the perfect pot; then squid and leeks will be a breeze.

Squid and Leeks in Red Wine

2 pounds squid, cleaned and sliced into rings

2 pounds leeks, the white and pale green parts cut into 2-inch lengths

1/4 cup olive oil

salt

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1 bay leaf

8 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices

2 cups red wine

1 cup water

croutons fried in butter until crisp

chopped parsley

In a heavy, low-sided earthenware or copper pot, simmer the leeks with salt until they are lightly browned. Turn them carefully to avoid breaking them. Set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the squid at a higher temperature until their liquid is nearly evaporated. Add flour and sauté for a minute, then add herbs, cayenne, and garlic. While stirring, slowly pour in the wine, then the water. Let come to a boil, and gently add the leeks back to the pot. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

Cover the surface of the stew with croutons, sprinkle on the parsley, and serve in the pot.