Baby squid with onions, pochas and clams

You'll agree with me that good weather calls for using the wok, in those quick, healthy cooking methods, and if you also add the aromas of the sea, you then get an ideal recipe for the summer, which is just around the corner! That's why Carmen, author of the blog Yerbabuena en la Cocina, invites us to try today with this recipe that's sure to be a perfect fit!

Years ago I was struck by Asian culture's curiosity about certain Spanish customs; I couldn't understand how they could feel something so ours as theirs. It seemed unnatural to me to see an Asian woman dressed in and dancing flamenco… How wrong I was! Many years had to pass for me to understand that what enriches human beings is having the ability to connect with other cultures.

As many of you know, I love Asian cuisine; I'm crazy about Thai cooking with its curries and coconut milk–based sauces, Japanese cuisine with its raw fish, Chinese cuisine with the balance between its five basic flavors—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami—Indonesian cuisine, etc.

And that said, and as a bit of fun, with this dish today I wanted to give a nod to Asian culture; this time I'm the one putting on a kimono to prepare a traditional Spanish recipe, in a utensil as quintessentially Asian as this wok.

The wok is a kind of pan rounded at the bottom, widely used throughout Southeast Asia and the Far East. It is used in many ways and allows you to stir-fry, boil and even steam, all in a healthy way, using less oil and helping foods retain all their properties.

I've used the one by Le Creuset, which as you know is a byword for quality: for the manufacture of this wok it has opted for cast iron which, among other advantages, distributes heat evenly, retains temperature, allowing for several cooking zones, and prevents oxidation.

In the photo, Bérard olive wood board, Pallarès carbon steel knife and Le Creuset cast iron wok

Ingredients

• 500gr Baby squid
• 2 Onions
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Splash of white wine
• Chopped parsley
• 1 Jar of pochas or cooked beans
  200gr Clams
• 200gr Clams
• 1 Chili pepper
• White pepper
• Salt

Preparation

1. To cook in a wok it's best to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to use, since cooking in it is usually quick.
2. Clean the baby squid and dry them with paper towels to keep them from steaming instead of stir-frying. Put the clams in a bowl with water and salt half an hour beforehand so they release any sand they may have.
3. Slice the onion thinly and chop the garlic very finely. Rinse the pochas with cold water and set to drain in a colander.
4. Put the clams in a pot with a little water and steam them open, removing them from the heat as they open. Set aside once opened.
5. Add a little oil to the wok and heat over high heat and when it starts to smoke, swirl to coat the sides. Then add the baby squid and stir-fry for a few minutes on both sides; depending on their size you'll cook them more or less time, but generally a few minutes are enough. Remove and set aside.
6. Add three tablespoons of olive oil to the wok and add the onion and garlic, playing a bit with the heat, raising and lowering it so they soften and brown slightly without burning. If you like it spicy, this is the time to add the chili.
7. Then add the pochas and sauté for a few minutes with the onions, add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
8. Add the baby squid and the clams, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes so all the flavors come together well. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.