Calamari Salad

January 12, 2015  •  Fish & Seafood, Salads

new years even 2015 calamari salad-1It took me a long time to warm up to any seafood, let alone squid. It started when I had the very freshest calamari at a small restaurant by the sea in Turkey – it was fresh off the boat, delicately fried, and hard not to love. Then I began taking clients to cooking school in Puglia, Italy, where we usually make this incredible brodetto di pesce, full of all sorts of fish and seafood, including squid, and I learned that the freshest quid is excellent even if not fried. So when searching for a recipe for a salad course for my New Year’s Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, I knew this recipe was going to be perfect.new years eve 2015 seafood seven fishes-1I purchased my squid from a friend’s wholesale seafood business here in Denver and so it came cleaned and a 2 pound order had just about 1 1/2 pounds of tubes (bottom left in photo) and 1/2 pound of tentacles (hiding under the tubes). I used 1 tube per serving in this recipe and then froze the tentacles to fry up on another occasion.new years even 2015 calamari salad 1-1The salad is fresh, light, and pairs perfectly with a crisp, dry, Italian white wine, like the 2012 Casalfarneto Fontevecchia Classico Superiore Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG that one of my guests brought to accompany this course. Be sure not to overcook the squid or it will be chewy and rubbery. The portions in this recipe yield a small appetizer sort of salad – double the proportions for a good lunch or dinner sized entree salad.

Calamari Salad
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 8 (entree) to 16 (salad)
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb cleaned squid tubes (bodies), cut into ⅓ inch rings
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 small red onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 cup)
  • ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
  • 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
  • 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into ⅓-inch-wide rings.
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the squid. Cook, uncovered, until the squid is just barely opaque, about 45 seconds. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer the squid to an ice bath to cool. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.
  2. Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then stir in onion and let stand 5 minutes.
  3. Combine the cooled squid, olives, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl, and toss with dressing. Let stand at least 15 minutes over preferably overnight before serving to allow flavors to develop.

 

Comments

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  1. TMJ Specialist Orange County says:

    What a delicious looking recipe, I love Calamari, thank you for sharing!

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