# Smoked Calamari Rings With Black Rice!!!



## leah elisheva

Happy Tuesday Fabulous Smokers!

I had some frozen calamari rings from the fabulous "Bexx" line from Portugal which I adore (all of their frozen goods) and decided to smoke them up!













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I mixed some raw Vidalia onion, chopped sweet raw peppers and some fresh basil,













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Started boiling some black rice, 













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Mopped the rings through safflower oil for high heat,













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oiled the grill grates on the little smoker too, and layered on the rings!













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I smoked these on the humble gas smoker with luscious hickory chips, lowish heat (240 maybe?) for 15 minutes.













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And I added the onion mixture to the black rice, once eating nearly half of it raw, 













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And started plating my little lunchtime creation...
adding some fresh basil sprigs...












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And then the smoked calamari which smelled incredibly and got lovely color!













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And then I used some simple albeit wonderful and healthful seasonings: avocado oil, a freshly squeezed lemon - & it's ZEST - 












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And my new favorite "crush item" from Trader Joe's, which is a grinder of smoked paprika flakes, sea salt, garlic and basil. WON-DER-FUL! I am now putting that on everything! Even the dogs! Well, OK you get the idea, as it is MARVELOUS! Go grind away!!!













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And then I squeezed the lemon and added all the above jazz...and VOILA! The food was just downright harmonious and amazing, if I may be so humble and admit such myself!













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These are soft and succulent, and I have had this BEXX line deep fried in coconut flour too and it is baby soft! A fabulous product!













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Here's wishing everyone a little calamari safari today and with fabulous things!
Thanks for sharing in my lunch!
Cheers!!!! - Leah


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## Bearcarver

That looks Awesome, Leah!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Looks Mighty Tasty!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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I gotta find some of those frozen rings!!

The only Calamari I ever had was as an appetizer "Fried" from local Steak Hoagie joints, and those are like seasoned rubber bands!!

Bear


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## bigd3077

Almost looks to pretty to eat!


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## daveomak

Those rings look awesome....   Never seen them that fat....   one awesome and gorgeous meal....


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## tropics

Leah That is some nice looking Calamari,it took on a lot of smoke color.Your plating is super every time.


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## disco

Looks great and wonderful photography as usual. Thanks!







Disco


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## mummel

Wow +1


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## leah elisheva

Thank you so much everyone!!! *Bear; *I know what you mean with tough rings normally. This frozen "Bexx" line of seafood and fish is just superb! Softest calamari rings I have ever tasted anywhere - as mentioned, great when deep fried in a healthy flour (coconut) and healthy oil (grapeseed or avocado or rice bran) and smoked just made them savory and soft and amazing really too! Thanks tons!

OH - and their other frozen fish - whole sardines, mackerel, hake, nile perch, smelts and so forth; don't taste frozen at all and are fantastic! No added junk - all wild caught in Portugal! I think you'd love the line Bear!

And *Bigd3077;* thanks very much! I love plating just as much as eating and am touched that my simpleton way is enjoyed out there! Thanks indeed!

Hi *Dave!* I appreciate your words tons, and can recommend this brand! The rings actually shrunk a teeny bit when smoking but are pretty fat & so soft that you can just pulled the fried ones apart - making an onion ring appear as it's hard as a rock by comparison! A fun line of products! Thanks so much for the good words!

*Tropics, *thanks too! The smoke color did get on them and quickly, but the HICKORY flavor really seemed to soften and flavor these too! A fun choice! Thanks for such nice plating words!

Oh *Disco! *Happy summer to you great folks in the north! Thank you ever so much for points and kind words! I've been out of touch and miss you all here, and must check out your blog too as I am WAY overdue! Many thanks!!!!!

Thanks very much *Mummel! *Your "WOW + 1" did make me smile! That's very kind.

Cheers to everyone! It's almost wine o'clock, or so I think, and so may everyone enjoy the sunshine and then the cocktail hour too! - Leah


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## atomicsmoke

Nice looking rings.


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## leah elisheva

Thank you *Atomicsmoke! *These were tasty! Cheers! - Leah


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## daveomak

Leah Elisheva said:


> Thank you so much everyone!!!
> 
> Hi *Dave!* I appreciate your words tons, and can recommend this brand! The rings actually shrunk a teeny bit when smoking but are pretty fat & so soft that you can just pulled the fried ones apart - making an onion ring appear as it's hard as a rock by comparison! A fun line of products! Thanks so much for the good words!
> 
> 
> Cheers to everyone! It's almost wine o'clock, or so I think, and so may everyone enjoy the sunshine and then the cocktail hour too! - Leah




When I had my charter business, I had access to 25# blocks of frozen squid...   $7 for 25#'s....  I always used a few for bait but we always had fresh calamari to eat at home and on the boat..  the box said " for bait only " but that was BS....


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## leah elisheva

Oh Dave, what a delicacy!
I would have been gulping bait left & right!
You were so fortunate! What an amazing stash you had access too!
That's wild!!
Happy midweek! Make today delicious!
Cheers! - Leah


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## foamheart

Wow! Thats the largest rubber bands I ever saw! I was in the service in Spain when I had my first Calamari and I fell in love. They are so hard to prepare though, half the places that sell 'em don't know how to cook them so they are edible. Those are monsterious! Most that I have seen were maybe hand length whole.

I am laughing at Daves story..... I had a boss once who told our manufactures after a fishing trip that I would swap the fish for the bait to take home.

I like Calamari and yours look great!


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## leah elisheva

Thank you so much Foamheart!

And the calamari in Spain just must have been Godlike and amazing! Lucky you!

But yes, I need a T-shirt that says; "I eat bait & I like it!" Smiles.

Happy midweek!!!! Cheers!!! - Leah


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## Bearcarver

Leah,

You said from Portugal, and Frozen, but "Where" do you buy it?  Super Market? Specialty shop? Seafood store?

Bear


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## leah elisheva

Hi Bear!



I buy it in our regular grocery store, "Market Basket" (that went through the famous family feud and closing and reopening) here in New England. The brand is "BEXX" and most of their things are in an orange bag in the frozen section but the calamari rings are in a bright yellow bag. Amazing!



I hope you can find some!!! Cheers! - Leah (Had their smelts today - also frozen from Portugal - and they were amazing)!!!













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## Bearcarver

Thanks a Bunch, Leah!!

I will definitely be on the lookout---They must be great when they aren't breaded & turned into Rubber Bands!!!

Those Smelts look Great too. I haven't had them since My Dad & I used to catch them through the ice, back in the 60s & 70s at Fairview Lake in Pike County, PA.

Bear


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## dirtsailor2003

Looks tasty Leah! I quit eating calamari in restaurants unless the tentacles are attached! It all started after I listened to this Doppelgangers on This American Life:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/484/doppelgangers













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## leah elisheva

Fantastic Dirtsailor! That's wonderful!

I stopped eating in restaurants altogether, when I got a dog! And it was one of the best things I ever did!

And while I love to get the real full squid and clean them myself, which I do at times, these mere rings are the softest I have ever had anywhere in the world!

Thanks for the great words and links as well!

Happy midweek of wonderful things to you!!!! It's finally summer!!!! Yay!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## bdskelly

yummmmmm.  Largest Calamari that I've ever seen. b


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## dirtsailor2003

BDSkelly said:


> yummmmmm.  Largest Calamari that I've ever seen. b



My wife thought the story was so good she had to get me the shirt! 













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## mr t 59874

Leah, absolutely beautiful, as usual.  The calamari and smelt both look wonderful.  Only wish they were available here.

Do I see a river behind your place?

Tom


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## moikel

Looks great as usual.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






If you see squid from Indonesia by the box with hand jigged on the label its a great product.

Snap frozen,whole .They are a class above the other frozen stuff.

Calamari are graded here by region & sub species,fresh that is. They are getting expensive.

Very popular target for line fisherman once you get the hang of the squid jig.Hard to use them for bait when they are so tasty.


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## dirtsailor2003

Moikel said:


> Looks great as usual.Thumbs Up
> If you see squid from Indonesia by the box with hand jigged on the label its a great product.
> Snap frozen,whole .They are a class above the other frozen stuff.
> Calamari are graded here by region & sub species,fresh that is. They are getting expensive.
> Very popular target for line fisherman once you get the hang of the squid jig.Hard to use them for bait when they are so tasty.



Hey Mick! A few years back I was taking a boat from California to Oregon. We stopped in Ventura and they have the largest fleet of Squid boats in the U.S. There was a kiosk on the wharf and I can't remember the exact number but they supply a massive percentage of the worlds squid. Most of it of course is shipped to Asia.


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## moikel

It's a great product, I saw a lot of dried stuff in Japan.
There is a distinction between calamari & squid which I think is that a calamari fin runs the full length of the hood. 
What's called arrow squid here is like an arrow head ,go figure ,but it's much thicker ,bigger & not great for frying.Cheaper by a fair bit.Nice turned into Ragu or stuffed & baked.
Like a lot of things once it's processed into deep frozen bags its a much inferior product.
Leah does a great job with all that sort of stuff.She is the celephod Queen!


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## leah elisheva

Thanks *Brian*! Yes these rings are LARGE and really soft! The best I have had and even great when deep fried in a healthy flour and oil.

*Dirtsailor * that t-shirt is hilarious and fantastic! 

*Mr. T;* thanks very much! Everything from that BEXX line is terrific! I'm plowing through their goods daily & just loving it! Oh and no river here - just some woods or trees in the back that must look murky in the photo.

*Mick, *thank you too! I love the whole authentic ones and there is one brand that comes boxed here where I may clean myself and the eyes and all are intact. I will look for what you mentioned as well. 

It's great to hear of how it is there *(Mick)*and some history of various ways & cultures (from both you and *Dirtsailor's* post too). Such an enjoyable place, this site! I learn so very much!

Happy Thursday to all!

Cheers! - Leah


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## leah elisheva

The  cephalopod Queen!!! (Just read your comment Mick)! Hysterical and terrific! I love that and will take that, thanks tons!!! Now I need a T-shirt!!!


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## leah elisheva

And while these are grilled and not smoked, I am sneaking in today's grilled Nile Perch because it is from that same brand from Portugal (BEXX) of frozen goods that don't taste at all frozen, and it's just amazing! (and a cousin to barramundi and thus a bass type as Mick and others determined in another thread; and nothing like a perch that we know in the lakes etc).

This is so delicate that I have to be careful when transporting from the grill and it is so succulent and my new favorite fish bar none!

Today I did it with red rice. Thank you for sharing in my food.

Cheers and warm wishes to all! - Leah












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## bdskelly

Lovely! We do not get perch very often down this way. b


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## leah elisheva

Thanks Brian!
These are so delicate and delicious and I must say that I am surprised at how amazing they are!

Happy weekend to you! Cheers! - Leah


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## foamheart

Bump


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## leah elisheva

Thank you Foamheart!!! And happy June!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## crazymoon

Leah, just saw this post and all the wonderful goodies, everything looks divine !


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## leah elisheva

Thanks CrazyMoon!

And what a fantastic avatar photo you have! Cheers!!! - Leah


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