Sicilian Calamari

Raise your hand if you know the name Calpahlon.

Yup...exactly as I thought...just about every hand raised!

I've been a big fan of Calphalon as long as I can remember.  I think the very first thing I registered for back when my husband & I were getting married was a full set of Calphalon pots & pans...I didn't even know how to say the name right, but I knew I had to have them in my life, and you know what??   They have never let me down!  Since then, Calphalon has added on so many new items (and I have bought a number of them). Everything from new pans to electronic kitchen items.

Things to love about these pans:

The ability to use metal tools...yup go right ahead!!
A surface designed to excel in the searing of your food, gotta love a good sear!
Dishwasher safe - which makes cleanup a snap!
PFOA-free!
Made in the USA!!

I was lucky enough to have been sent a couple of the these beautiful pans to try out, I received the 3-Piece Fry Pan & Saute Pan Set.  First, I have to say that these are gorgeous pans!  The dark rich color, the beautiful hardware and the weight of them just scream "quality"!  The pans also cook like a dream, a perfectly "even" cook, which is something I always look for in a pan.

I made a number of dishes in the pans I was sent.  I sautรฉed onions, made a mushroom side dish, made an omelet, some sausage (which browned fabulously) and scrambled eggs.  I made an incredible one-dish calamari (recipe below).  My 9 year old "chef" was as excited as I was to try these pans out, first she made a Pasta, Kale & Bacon Dish.  Next she sauteed apples for a dessert (she gave the pans 2 thumbs up and is trying to claim them as her "own", lol).  My 11 year old son wanted in on the action too  and made himself a grilled cheese.  In all these situations, the pans performed like a dream!

I have to say that the handles of the pan(s) as well as the additional hardware stayed cool to the touch while cooking with them.  As a mom who lives with a 9 year old who is always eager to cook, that is important to me.  After using these pans for a couple of weeks I totally trust her cooking with them, something which makes us both happy!

Mentally, I had a hard time allowing myself to use metal spoons, spatulas and forks with the pans while I tried them out. My brain kept screaming "nooooo, Colleen don't do it!!"  But I did because I wanted to see the result and in the end, I am happy to report that no harm was done to the pans and my brain recovered after I gave it a glass of wine!

Now on to the recipe!

The best bite of food I had during our last beach vaca 2 weeks ago was an appetizer my sister ordered while out one night.  The dish was called Sicilian Calamari and it was described as "tender calamari sautรฉed with banana peppers and onions in a garlicky tomato broth".  I kid you not...my sister and I thought about using a straw for that sauce, It was delicious!  Here is my take on what was in the dish.

I made this in the Calphalon Elite 3 QT Nonstick saute Pan and it came together beautifully, plus...who doesn't love a 1 dish meal or app??

Sicilian Calamari Recipe

1 LB fresh calamari tubes
ยผ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
โ…“ cup minced onion
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 heaping TBS capers
2 TBS caper juice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
ยฝ cup sliced banana peppers (from a jar)
1 TBS banana pepper juice
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Rinse the inside & outside of your squid tubes and slice them into rings.  Set aside.
Saute your garlic & onions in a 3 qt or larger saute pan for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add in a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer stirring occasionally.  Add in your capers, caper juice, red pepper flakes, banana peppers and juice, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.  Add in calamari rings, simmer for 5 minutes or until calamari is cooked to your liking.  Serve with slices of French bread or over pasta.

Colleen's Notes:  We enjoyed this both as an app, dipping bread into it, and as a sauce over pasta.  Even the kids and another 9 year old girls we had as a dinner guest enjoyed it!
I totally meant to add some chopped parsley to the sauce - but didn't realize until the next day when I saw it sitting in my fridge that I had forgotten.  The sauce was so good I don't think it was needed anyway.
If you want a more liquid sauce, add in ยฝ cup white wine or ยฝ cup water as well when your sauce comes to a simmer.

If you are not a fan of banana peppers - don't add them, however they are what my husband went crazy over in the sauce...love you babe!!  The kids however ate around them.

For me personally, this was just about the best sauce I ever had!

My sister said she would add Kalamata olives if she ever made this (one of her favorite things to eat...me not-so-much)

Enjoy!!

Disclosure:  Calphalon sent me a 3-Piece Fry Pan & Saute Pan Set to try out as well as a fry pan to give away to one lucky reader.  I was not paid to write this post.  All opinions about these pans are my own after testing them for 2 weeks.

 

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396 Comments

  1. Sautรฉed Calamari over linguini is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, i must try this!!!! I would love to try them in a new Calphalon Saute pan!!!!

    I follow you all over!!

  2. I love Calphalon pans, and this one would make a great addition to my kitchen! Your recipe sounds delish!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

  3. I love these pans! They are definitely one of the best quality pans available on the market! The recipe for Sicilian Calamari sounds yummy!

  4. I would love to try these new pans out. They look new and cool! I have my fingers crossed, because I have one skillet that I use and would love to have a new one!

  5. The recipe really looks delicious and the pans are wonderful. They really look like such high quality.
    Thanks so much.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

  6. Calphalon products are a must have, IMHO , and I would love to be the proud new owner of this great pan! The recipe looks right on, although, not being a huge fan of Calamari, I would use shrimp instead. Thanks for the inspiration!

  7. The new Calphalon products look awesome - seems like it'd be such an easy clean up!! The recipe looks yummy too. I'm not a huge calamari fan, but it looks like it'd be yummy to dip bread into!

  8. They look great, I'd love to try one out! We are slowly trying to phase out our cheap college-era cookware with good stuff ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. I love the fact that these new Calphalon pans are nonstick and also give a good sear, something most nonstick pans don't do well. Sounds like they are getting a good workout at your house!

    sharonjo at gwtc dot net

  10. I would love to try these pans!!! And the recipe sounds incredible! I have to admit...I've only had fried calamari but it looks delicious in the pic above!

  11. It goes without saying that this pan is fantastic - and reminds me of of a lifetime ago when I was starting a small catering business and my Dad bought me Cuisinart and a VERY expensive omelet pan (I adored (still do) eggs - especially omelets and scrambled eggs!

    And in keeping with our apparent kindred spirits in the kitchen - at least 2-3 times a week I make some kind of variation on pasta with garlic, spinach, kale, arugula, or fresh herbs, sometimes bacon, prosciutto, some kind of sausage and or mushrooms and a bit of cheese and freshly ground papper...

    As for the calamari/squid recipe - my husband adores it prepared just about every which way including as a cerviche and sushi! I KNOW he would especially love this recipe (the kalamatas and/or maybe even a few capers might be nice too) I'd probably turn the dish into an entree by serving it over pasta with a Greek salad and fresh baguette or Italian bread.

    Great recipe and great giveaway! THANKS!

    Jesselyn A/Jesstinger
    jessterlyn(at)aol(dot)com

  12. would love to try them, they sound awesome to work with. my grandma and dad a calamari dish and they were both different...I'm going to try this one and invite Mom and Dad to dinner

  13. Your recipe is transporting me back to Europe in a cozy bistro dipping my bread away into a rich pot of calamari goodness! And best of all, cooked in a Calphalon! Now that makes me very happy!
    blessienelson(at)gmail(dot)com

  14. I have never had calamari served this way but the pics look wonderful! I cannot cook seafood in our house as my sister (who visits regularly) is highly allergic!! But the pan is to die for! Never owned an pan this nice before. Thank you for the giveaway.

  15. I love calphalon! I have recently bought my first pan and it is my favorite. The plan is to continue to add new pieces when I have the money.

  16. I love the new pans they look so great. I need me some good pans in my life, and the recipe looks good, but my husband would eat it not me. Thanks

  17. The pans seem very nice. I would love to try them out. The recipe? I wish I could put my hand into the screen and have a taste. lol ๐Ÿ™‚

    DOREEN LAMOUREUX

  18. Im happy they are made in the USA. I want to try them. My cheap non stick pans have all of their non stick rubbed off.

  19. your recipe sounds super great! i love the new line that calphalon has come out with and i believe i would also have trouble using metal utensils-so wrong, LOL. thanks for a great giveaway!

  20. Metal Utensils! NEVER! I don't think I could commit such a crime against my pans even for testing purposes. I love my Calphalon pans. I am in need of a sauce pan, so I just might pick me up one of the new models.

  21. They look awesome! I so want to try them! I thought that I would like stainless steel but honestly I desperately miss my non stick and these would be great to win ๐Ÿ˜€

  22. I love that you can put them in the dishwasher because my husband is always doing it and ruining my other pans!

  23. The pans look awesome! Way out of my price range, so I'd love to win so I can see what I'm missing ๐Ÿ™‚ The recipe looks delicious!

  24. I love all things squid so the recipe looks delicious!
    I have not had a chance to check out the new pans, but anything Calphalon is quality so I'd love to try them out!

  25. I think my dad would love the Sicilian Calamari since he does prepare Calamari dishes for himself sometimes.
    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

  26. I LOVE Calphalon pans! My sister-in-law has a set of them (maybe even the exact ones!) and I've been envying them for a looong time. I love their weight, feel, how evenly the heat is distributed, and how EASY they are to wash up. It would be a dream to win these pans! Especially since I'm in Culinary School now, I'd like some nice equipment to use at home!

  27. The pans look awesome and calamari is hubby's fav so it's definitely something I could try for a special "dinner for two"!

  28. I absolutely love my current calphalon pans so adding more just makes sense! I cannot wait to make some shrimp pasta.

  29. The pan looks very versatile, I would love to have it in my kitchen:) I have never had calamari before, but your recipe looks like a tasty one I would try.

  30. This pan looks amazing (as does there recipe!!) I just got a Calphalon pot for soups and stews and am in love with it. Great products!

  31. I have never tried the pans, but they look beautiful and I love the fact that you can use metal utensils. iloveicarus at yahoo dot com

  32. I have an aunt who buys only Calphalon pots & pans and swears by them. I would love to own some of my own. Your Sicilian calamari recipe looks and sounds delicious!

  33. I love the pan and I follow on Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram. Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
    Reneewalters3 at yahoo dot com

  34. This recipe looks amazing! My husband absolutely loves calamari but can't eat the breading that usually coats it. This is perfect for him!

  35. I entered your giveaway.
    In response to your question
    I think this Caphalon Nonstick cookware is excellent quality.

  36. Calphalon cookware/pans are the best are on the market. This pan is great because it would probably be the pan I would use the most, because of its perfect size. Also, I'm putting the Sicilian Calamari in my "To Make List". Thanks for the recipe.

  37. As a broke college student I can't tell you how amazing it would be to have such a high quality pan!! I'm cooking out of such old cookware!

  38. I am a huge Calphalon fan and desperately need a big pan like this one! Had to split a recipe between two pans last week and ended up burning half of it! Recipe looks scrumptious too! babiesgottahaveit(at)gmail(dot)com

  39. I love their new pans and the fact that they are PFOA free. With a baby who is just starting to eat stuff other than pureed food I'm trying to be more careful about making sure the pots and pans I'm using to cook with are safe.

  40. I've never eaten calamari, but this dish looks delicious. I like the Calphalon cookware line for its' durability, and style.

  41. I love that you can use metal tools. My non-stick coating always wears off. I would love to find a pan that lasted!
    Susan Chester

  42. The pans look gorgeous! My mom has some and I look cooking at her place because of how awesome they are. Easy to clean too - which is a big thing for me! lol

  43. I have never owned any Calphalon cookware. I have heard only good things about their products. I would love to someday own this awesome pan

    Ladyblueeyez1960 (at)(aol)(dot)(com)

  44. I love these new pans, especially the fact that you can use metal tools with them! That is something I often forget about. Your recipe looks delicious, I'm thinking it would be a great thing to make for our next family get together. Thanks for sharing it with us!

  45. This recipe looks and sounds delicious we love calamari.
    and I love the pan. Calphalon has always been a favorite here.

    jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com

  46. Love that you have ability to use metal tools with these pans. The recipe sounds delicious!

    tderosa142 at gmail dot com

  47. The pans looks amazing - your recipe looks good, but I would need to modify it - banana peppers are not my thing ๐Ÿ™‚

  48. I love the recipe it sounds and looks so yummy. The pan looks like it would be an amazing tool for the kitchen

  49. I'm glad to hear they're dishwasher safe. My good pans I use now are not! I can't stand calamari. You should have posted the Pasta, Kale & Bacon Dish recipe --- that sounds good to me!

  50. I really like these pans, I love that you can use metal untensils and they don't scratch the finish. Thanks for the recipe too, it looks delicious.

  51. The recipe sounds great, I love calamari! And the pans sound awesome. I haven't tried the pans yet, but they sound perfect!

  52. I would love to try these pans. They sound very durable based on your review, and I am pleased to hear that you can use metal utensils with them.

  53. As for the pans, I learned long ago that cooking utensils are not an area in which to scrimp, no matter how thrifty you are, so the pans sound very attractive. As for the recipe, the only time I have tasted squid was in soup that a South American friend gave me years ago, and I was not impressed at all. I've avoided it since, but your recipe and review make me tempted to try it again.

  54. The new pans look like keepers. They are functional & stylish. I like how you said they remain cool to the touch. It's not just good for kids but clumsy parents, too. Heh. ๐Ÿ™‚

  55. I love Calphalon products and the new pans are beautiful. I love the weight of them and that they are still dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

  56. Calphalon makes cookware that is so stylish. If I won this my other pots and pans would hang their heads in shame.
    Funny you feature a recipe for calamari, I make my own version called CalaMaui.
    Aloha.

  57. Since my children use metal utensils on my non-stick pans (no matter how much I nag!) these pans would be great!

  58. The pan looks gorgeous-and you can't beat Made in the USA and the ability to use metal spoons!

    beckybopp at netzero dot com

  59. I love Calphalon! They are the only pots and pans that we use in our house! They are by far the best quality of cookware on the market and well worth the investment if anyone is looking for new pots and pans.

  60. I love the new pans, my mom got me one of these pans (small one) just last month and the difference is amazing, they are also safe to put in the oven, the non stick works so well even water runs off when washing that it takes just a moment to dry

  61. calphalon pans are so well made and durable- i have a couple that have lasted forever! i would love to win this pan. and that recipe looks delicious!

  62. I haven't tried the Calphalon brand but I heard they are the best brand out there for pots and pans, they are on my "Wish List"

  63. Thank you Colleen - I am going to make THIS Calamari Sauce and THIS Pasta dish THIS Week. My Honey/Hubby will love both of them.

    While I happen to love Kalamata olives (especially with Feta cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers) - but in this case - I have to agree with you: I think the strong flavor of the Kalamatas would overpower and overwhelm the fabulous flavor of the squid - but the capers are a definite stroke of culinary genius. Thanks again.

    Jesselyn A/Jesstinger
    jessterlyn(at)aol(dot)com

  64. The new pans look awesome. A great addition to add to the cooking supplies. Recipe looks interesting and tasty, have never had calamari myself.

  65. Their pans are heavy, like grilling skillets. That's how ya know they're solid.

    My name/username on most social networks is Bobby Tarumi (Bobbatron808). Following you on Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook all under the same name.

  66. I heard about Calphalon pans and they are of good quality. I would love to try them and heaven knows I need some new pans.

  67. I have never tries Calphalon before but the pan looks like a really good one that I would love to try. wilcarvic
    [at]gmail[dot[com]]

  68. Hi Everyone, I won the Calphalon pan, and let me tell you, it is SOOOOO nice! It's the nicest pan that I own. I absolutely love it. I am so grateful for this giveaway. Thank you, thank you, thank you!