Salt, Chilli and pepper squid
I have had rather a productive day for a bank holiday, when generally everyone lazes around relishing the fact that it’s another day off the full working week (although I was at work on Sunday so it doesn’t really count for me). I did sleep in just a little but I struggle to get up when it is really humid. It’s been about 20 degrees centigrade here today, which is a big change from just a few weeks ago when we had snow and I don’t think my body has had time to adjust.
First off was a quick trip to the garden centre to try and get my garden sorted for summer. I bought some strawberry plants and some seeds to sow peppers, tomatoes and lettuce and some shrubs for the front garden. I have been a bit lax with the garden this year and it was slowly beginning to look like a poster advertisement for Day of the Triphids. I also had time to squeeze in making a pavlova, which I will post about later. I’m now rewarding my efforts with a glass of wine but sadly it will be my last before my 10k run next Sunday.
I have seen frozen squid in the supermarket on several occasions and since I can’t get any fresh I thought I’d buy some. They were prepared baby squid and I decided they would be very nice pan fried for dinner and served on salad.
Ingredients
Around seven prepared baby squid
I bag of salad leaves, eg rocket, spinach, watercress
A handful of black olives, pitted
A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
olive oil
1 tsp of dried chilli flakes
Half a small clove of garlic, crushed
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp rock salt
3 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp vinegar
4 tbsp plain flour
Prepare the salad first by assembling the salad leaves, tomatoes, and olives in a bowl. Make the dressing by putting the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper into a glass. Add the oils and whisk to combine, set aside. Cut the squid into rings, leaving the tentacles whole and pat them dry. Heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Mix the flour together with the chilli flakes, salt and pepper and coat the squid with it. Drop the squid into the very hot pan and move it around to get the squid evenly coloured, this should take about four or five minutes and no longer as the squid will become tough. Whisk the salad dressing again to combine, drizzle over the leaves and mix to cover the leaves lightly. Divide between two plates. When the squid is cooked and golden brown take out of the pan, heap on top the leaves and serve immediately.
Serves two.
Tags: chilli, dressing, flour, food, fried, garlic, olive oil, olives, pepper, picture, recipe, salad, salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, squid
May 7th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
What a lovely summery meal.