Gilroy Garlic Festival Red Sauce (For Calamari or Shrimp)

This is one of the dishes served at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. I think their sauce is really delicious. You may use shrimp if you don't care for the calamari. This recipe is adapted from "The Garlic Lover's Cookbook" by the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association. Serve over hot cooked pasta.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb  whole peeled tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1  stalk celery, chopped
• 1  medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3  fresh garlic cloves, minced
•  salt & pepper, to taste

• Calamari

• 3  lbs  fresh  calamari, cleaned and cut (squid)
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 1⁄4 cup dry sherry (real sherry, not grocery store kind)
• 1  tablespoon fresh garlic, crushed
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of, save rind
• 1  tablespoon fresh basil or 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1  tablespoon fresh oregano or 1  teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, add the chopped pepper, garlic, celery, and onion and saute until the onion is transparent.
3. Add mashed tomatoes and simmer for 1/2 hour.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. (If you are planning to serve the sauce alone, you may wish to add some basil and oregano and red pepper flakes as well).
6. How to make the Calamari: In a very large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat - but be careful not to overheat it - you do not want boiling or smoking, just heating up; otherwise your garlic will burn.
7. Carefully add wine, sherry and crushed garlic, sauteeing the garlic; Be very careful when adding the alcohol to the hot pan - you may wish to do this away from the heat for safety reasons to avoid flare ups.
8. Add lemon juice and also drop the rind into the pan.
9. In a bowl, mix calamari pieces with the herbs and red pepper flakes, then add to the pan.
10. Saute about 4 minutes over high heat or until cooked- but be careful not to overcook or it will toughen; if your fish seems ready sooner, it most likely is done - the time will vary depending on the thickness of the cut and type used.
11. Pour hot sauce over cooked calamari and serve over hot, cooked pasta.
12. You may also use shrimp instead of the calamari, although shrimp may cook even faster.