Pa amp tomàquet de penjar
Great-quality tomatoes are the hero of this simple but classic Catalan dish, so use the best you can find. This recipe comes from London's Parrillan Borough Yards
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan over a low heat and cook the garlic, bay, ginger, Ñora and dry chilli until coloured. Add the pepper and shallots, and cook for 15 mins until they caramelise. Add the tomato frito, and cook gently for another 5 mins until caramelised. Add the squid ink, cook for 30 seconds, then deglaze the pan on a low heat by adding the brandy. Flambé to burn off the alcohol by lighting the side of the pan – have a pan lid handy just in case you need to cover the flames, and don’t do this under an extractor fan. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the ginger and bay, blend the mixture and adjust the seasoning to taste. This will keep for a few days in the fridge or can be frozen.
Marinate the fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, red onion, tarragon and seasoning. Meanwhile, grill the squid or cook over coals on a barbecue for 2 mins on each side until it is cooked through and browned at the edges. Serve the squid beside the fennel salad with a drizzle of the squid ink sauce.