This year summer started late and ended even faster. There was no sun in Paris until mid july and even tho i arrived at the Croatian coast at actually the same time as i do every year, this time i had to leave earlier.
I have been under constant pressure of not wasting any minute of my precious time. I wanted to be at the same time at several different places and do different things. Mornings were mostly occupied by long breakfasts followed by an hour on the beach, just until time to prepare lunch, until the sun rises high on the sky.
Mother was cooking this summer. Even if enjoy eating what i cook as well as cooking itself, there is a special pleasure in eating mother's food. Even if you know you sometimes prepare the meal more to your taste, there is always that special touch of something in the food mother makes (i'd say mother's love, but mine hates cooking and does it only not to starve us all to death).
Here in Croatia, in the coastal region above all, we eat a lot of fish. Well, not only fish, but seafood in general. Everything a fisherman catches in his nets during the night or early morning is the food which will feed him and his family. Everything goes to the same batch and is being looked forward to no matter if the catch is fish, squid or octopus... Because in the end, when you prepare any of it, usually in the simplest way, you have a true feast.
In my house, favourite seafood is fish. Squids are mostly used for risotto.
Can't explain why since this way of preparation I am presenting you today is the simplest as it can get. Not to mention way better then risotto.
That particular day mother announced squids for lunch, yet cheated in a way. They were bought frozen, from Ledo (californian, not patagonica which are less tender), but still absolutely delicious. Cooked in a pan covered with a lid, only with a touch of olive oil, a bit of garlic and persley. Shaked every now and then, they released the juices and in the same time absorbed the spices' aroma. Tender and sweet, served with a good portion of cooked swiss chard from dalmatian garden, this meal was one of the highlights of this summer's cuisine.
