Ingredients

3–4 large calamari tubes, cleaned sea salt and milled black pepper olive oil   For the garlicky bread puddings 16–18 toaster-thick slices white bread 1 cup cream 1 cup full-cream milk 3 XL free-range eggs salt and milled black pepper 6 cloves garlic, crushed   For the tomato, chilli and ginger sauce 1T olive oil 11/2t fresh ginger, grated 2–3 fresh red chillies, seeded and finely chopped 1/2t ground cumin 1/4t ground turmeric 1×400g tin whole peeled tomatoes, crushed 11/2t sugar salt and milled pepper to taste coriander leaves or rocket, to garnish  

Method

Slit the calamari tubes in half lengthwise. Score each half on the inside, and season and moisten with oil. Heat a cast-iron grill pan until fiercely hot. Add the calamari and sear until just cooked, curled and slightly charred. To make the bread puddings, trim the crusts and cut the bread into 2cm cubes. Place in six large or eight medium well-buttered muffin pans. Beat the cream, milk, eggs and seasoning to make a custard. Spread the crushed garlic on and between the cubes of bread. Pour the custard over the bread. Leave to stand for about half an hour, pushing down the bread to soak up the custard. Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes or until golden and set when tested with a skewer. To make the tomato, chilli and ginger sauce, heat the oil in a pan and fry the ginger. Slowly add the chillies, cumin and turmeric and stir gently. Turn down the heat and add the tomatoes along with their juice, the sugar and seasoning. Simmer for 15–20 minutes or until well reduced. To assemble, top a hot garlicky bread pudding with a pan-grilled calamari tube and place a few scoops of the tomato, chilli and ginger sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh coriander or rocket. Serves 6-8   This recipe originally appeared in our 2014 Food Issue   READ MORE Nutty Citrus Salad Thai Green Curry Fig and Honey Cappuccino