Calamari with Red Wine and Tomato Sauce

I had a pound of frozen squid rings in the freezer, they've been on my mind for the last week or so as I really couldn't decide how to prepare them. What I WANTED to do with them was bread them and deep fry them, but in the end, I was a good girl and I made this tomato based recipe instead.

It was pretty good, and the kids ate it well. Even the squid. When they asked what it was, I just said "calamari" which sounds a lot more palatable to an 8 year old than "squid". They both ate it up. About halfway through dinner, Claire asked, "Is calamari a fish?" Actually, it is a mollusk (related to the Octopus) but I didn't think that would go over too well, so I just said, "yup, it's fish". Claire thought about it then said, "how did you get the fish into little circles?"

....well, I am just a REALLY good cook!!

Calamari with Red Wine and Tomato Sauce

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb squid rings
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
lemon wedges
Rice or Pasta

1. For the sauce, saute onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, cinnamon, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Simmer for about an hour.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the rice or pasta.

3. When everything is ready, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Dredge squid rings in 1/4 cup flour, and saute in oil for about 3-5 minutes until cooked through.

4. Serve rice/pasta with sauce and topped with squid. Garnish with lemon.