Grilled Squid with Fennel and Grapefruit

By stirfrei • May 4, 2011 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: I usually despise squid and octopus. There is nothing worse than getting an overcooked piece of octopus and chewing on it for hours as if it were a nasty piece of fish-flavored gum. Once, however, at a tiny Italian restaurant in Northern California I had a Calamari salad that I actually liked. The fact that I am still thinking about it today, years later, surprises me due to my torrid history with the stuff. The salad was bright and flavorful with bites of citrus and parsley. I gobbled down the salad with delight as my dining companions watched on with part horror and part bewilderment on their faces.

I tried to put my own spin on this Squid Salad recipe. It turned out edible, and maybe even a bit enjoyable. Taking from that citrus and parsley memory, I marinated the grilled squid in a lemon, grapefruit, white wine, and parsley mixture and found the end result was quite palatable. - stirfrei

Serves 3-4

Marinade

2 1/2 lemons, squeezed
1 grapefruit, squeezed
1 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel fronds, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mint, finely chopped
1 cup olive oil

Strain juice from grapefruit and lemon and mix with white wine and red pepper flakes. Place in a sauce pan and reduce mixture by 1/2. Cool down.
Add wine mixture to shallots and herbs. Emulsify in oil.

Squid Salad

1 pound Squid, equal parts bodies and tentacles, cleaned
2 grapefruits, segmented
1/2 fennel bulb, shaved
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
1 cup baby arugula

Turn on a grill to medium high heat. Cut bodies of squid into rings and leave tentacles whole. Season squid with salt and pepper and toss in canola oil. Grill for 2 minutes on each side, or until squid has just cooked. Be careful not to leave it on the grill for too long or the squid will turn rubbery. Cool down.
Place grilled squid in marinade, refrigerate, and let sit for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.
When ready to eat, mix marinated squid, grapefruit segments, arugula, and fennel. Use a little of the marinade to dress the salad. Season salad with salt and pepper if needed.