…pine nuts with pickled fennel

Yields 10 patties

Prep time 30 mins + overnight chilling

Ingredients

120g calamari
60g dried apricots
30g pine nuts
Handful of parsley
Handful of mint
Zest from one lemon
Olive oil
2 pinches of chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
80g breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. salt
100ml apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar

Method

Prepare a pot filled with water and bring to the boil. Place the calamari into the pot and cook for 10 – 12 mins and then lower the heat and leave for a further 3 mins. Remove the calamari and let them rest. Once cooled, slice the calamari length wise and chop roughly. Soak the apricots in some warm water for 1 – 2 mins so that they soften and finely chop them.

In a food processor add the calamari, apricots, and the rest of the ingredients except the pine nuts and the breadcrumbs, together with a good drizzle of olive oil. Blend the mixture into a paste – take care not to over blend it. Add the breadcrumbs and blend again, this time adding some olive oil slowly whilst the mixture is blending. Stop and add the pine nuts, this time use the pulse option on the food processor and pulse the mixture so that the pine nuts still have some bite. The mixture should have a binding consistency and a little bit of moisture. If it’s too moist add some more breadcrumbs as the patties will not hold.

Remove the mixture from the food processor and place into a bowl and let cool in the fridge for 20mins. Once cooled, take part of the mixture into the palm of your hand and shape into a ball with your hands, compressing the mixture whilst shaping. Refrigerate for 1-2hrs (overnight chilling will yield best results)

In a bowl mix the vinegar, salt and sugar and whisk together. Add the thinly sliced fennel bulb and toss making sure all is coated in the mixture. Set aside and refrigerate overnight and drain.

Bring the calamari out 30mins before cooking to come to room temperature. Heat up a pan with some olive oil. Pan fry for 3-4 mins on either side. Shake the pan to ensure the patties don’t stick.
Serve with a simple garden salad