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
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Ingredients
- Marinade
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2 1/2
lemons, squeezed
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1
grapefruit, squeezed
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1 cup
dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
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1 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
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1
shallot, minced
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2 tablespoons
flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
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2 teaspoons
fennel fronds, finely chopped
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1 teaspoon
mint, finely chopped
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1 cup
olive oil
- Squid Salad
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1 pound
Squid, equal parts bodies and tentacles, cleaned
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2
grapefruits, segmented
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1/2
fennel bulb, shaved
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1/4 cup
canola oil
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Salt and Pepper, To Taste
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1 cup
baby arugula
Directions
- Marinade
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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.
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Add wine mixture to shallots and herbs. Emulsify in oil.
- Squid Salad
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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.
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Place grilled squid in marinade, refrigerate, and let sit for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.
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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.
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