The Peace of Having Enough - Algarve Golden Hour Calamari

And so... a new kind of peace has arrived in the household.

We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. And yet, somehow, the everyday still manages to follow us here.

The plants need watering. The dogs need walking. The dogs need feeding. The house needs cleaning. The laundry needs doing. And then comes the eternal question:

What are we having for dinner?

Somewhere in between all of that, I am also trying to be creative.

Life rolls on.

And sometimes I wonder: would a holiday actually change anything?

Would going somewhere else, without the dogs, the plants, the laundry and the endless small things that make up a life, really make us feel more relaxed?

Perhaps.

But perhaps we don't actually need to go anywhere.

Perhaps we need to learn how to be where we already are.

Because the Algarve doesn't remove ordinary things from life. It simply gives them a rather beautiful backdrop.

The trick, I think, is finding the balance.

Appreciating the mundane.

Enjoying the watering of the plants, the dogs wandering around the garden, the laundry drying in the warm air.

And still finding a little space for creativity.

Sometimes that creativity is a grand idea.

And sometimes...

It is simply figuring out what to make for dinner when you are tired, hungry and absolutely unwilling to spend an hour in the kitchen.

Which brings me to one of my favourite kinds of late-August magic:

a fast dinner that feels far more special than the effort involved.

Golden, crisp calamari. A little piri-piri. Fresh lemon. A cold glass of something lovely.

Dinner on a late Algarve evening.

Maybe this is what a holiday actually looks like.

Not escaping your life.

Just remembering to enjoy it.

Algarve Golden Hour Calamari Yield: 2–3 main portions or 4 starter plates | Total time: 20 mins

The Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) clean squid tubes & tentacles, sliced into 1/2-inch rings

• 1/3 cup cornstarch (for lightness)

• 1/3 cup rice flour (for glass-like crunch)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimentão doce)

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp fine sea salt + extra for finishing

• Neutral oil for frying (sunflower or peanut oil)

For the Algarve Dipping Mayo:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 garlic clove, grated fine

• 1–2 tsp Piri-Piri sauce (or hot sauce of choice)

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + wedges for serving

The Method

1. Whip the Dip: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, grated garlic, piri-piri, and lemon juice. Set aside in the fridge so the flavors meld.

2. Prep the Squid: Pat the squid rings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of crispness.

3. The Dry Dredge: In a wide bowl, whisk the cornstarch, rice flour, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and 1 tsp salt. Toss the squid into the flour mixture, coating every piece, then shake off the excess in a fine-mesh sieve.

4. Flash Fry: Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet to 375°F (190°C). Drop the calamari in small batches. Fry for 75 to 90 seconds until the coating turns pale gold and crisp.

5. Finish & Serve: Drain immediately on a wire rack. Shower with flaky sea salt and serve piping hot alongside the piri-piri mayo, plenty of lemon wedges, a chilled bottle of Vinho Verde, and a simple tomato-cucumber salad.

Try it. Then sit down. Eat slowly. Look at the evening light. You are, after all, on holiday. 🌿