Baby squid with onion confit

Method

Put the onion in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, 80mls extra virgin olive oil and half the salt. Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring regularly, for one hour or until the onion has a jam-like consistency.

Meanwhile, to clean the squid, pull the tentacles out of the hoods then the clear cartilage. Peel off and discard the skin. Cut the tentacles off just below the eyes, then rinse the hoods and tentacles. Drain well and place in a bowl.

Place the garlic cloves on a chopping board, sprinkle with remaining salt and finely chop. Add to the squid with 100ml extra virgin olive oil and most of the parsley. Mix well, then leave covered for at least one hour in the fridge.

Heat 40ml olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat until the oil is nearly smoking. Add the squid hoods and tentacles and cook for one minute, then season, turn, cook for another minute and remove from the pan.

Remove bay leaves and peppercorns from onion confit, place a spoonful on each serving plate, stuff the squid tentacles back into the hoods and arrange on top of the onion. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Stored in an airtight container, the leftover onion confit will last in the fridge for two weeks and is good with sausages or homemade burgers.