Squid Stew

I kept the aromatic base for the stew separate from the other flavor components. While this may not be a traditional step in making a stew, I still think calling this dish a stew makes good sense.
Ingredients:
80g extra virgin olive oil + 80g
240g small diced celery
290g small diced fennel
246g small diced onion
12g salt
20g vegetable peeled lemon zest + 8g micro-planed lemon zest
22g garlic
3g dried oregano
650g Liebfraumilch
830g cleaned squid
800g whole canned tomatoes
50g heavily reduced neutral fish broth

Tender veggies after sweating

6g hot sauce
12g lemon juice
Method:
Place 80g of olive oil in a pot and get it hot, but not to its smoking point.  Add the diced vegetables and the salt. Make the vegetables sweat in the fat until they are tender. Remove everything from the pot, set aside, and cool.  Slice the heads of the squid into thin rings and leave the tentacles whole. To the same pot as before, add the other 80g of olive oil. Place the heat on high and add the garlic, large lemon peels, oregano and squid.  Cook everything in the fat until the squid proteins are fully set and start to release liquid. Let the squid simmer in its own liquid for 20 minutes. Then, cover with the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pass the tomatoes through a course food mill and add to the squid with the fish broth.  Simmer until the squid is a creamy, but still slightly chewy texture.  Add the hot sauce, lemon juice, and micro-planed zest. Cool and reserve. Reheat the squid and tomato base with the tender vegetables to serve.

Plate it up!

Squid stew with whole wheat croutons, striped bass, firecracker sauce, and butter radish sprouts.

The bigger picture

I love mayo and squid stew

Egregiously,

Adam