Crossword Genius

Half-and-half calamari and tapenade, a spicy mix (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

marinade

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'a spicy mix' is the definition.
(I know this)

'half-and-half calamari and tapenade' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
an anagram of 'and' is 'nad' which is within the answer.
The remaining letters 'marie' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for marinade that I've seen before include "Flavouring liquid found in a dream" , "Mixture for soaking foods before cooking" , "Soak food before cooking" , "Mixture for soaking meat before cooking" , "Soak in a mixture before cooking" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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