Grilled Baby Squid Recipes

GRILLED SQUID (CALAMARI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Put the skewers in a container, cover with water, and soak for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the squid.
• Prepare a high (500 F to 600 F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Rinse the squid under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut the squid bodies lengthwise down one side and open flat.
• Cut the tentacles in half if too large.
• In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Add the squid bodies and tentacles to the bowl, tossing to evenly coat.
• Thread the squid bodies lengthwise onto skewers so they lie flat.
• Thread the tentacles onto separate skewers.
• Grill, turning once, just until opaque, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the squid from skewers and pile them on a platter.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

GRILLED SQUID WITH OLIVE OIL AND LEMON RECIPE

Steps:

• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set all the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
• Meanwhile, thoroughly pat squid dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss squid with a drizzle of olive oil until lightly coated.

GRILLED CALAMARI

Steps:

• In a serving bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Stir in the garlic and whole oregano sprigs.
• Heat a grill pan over the high heat. (Alternatively, you can cook the squid on the grill.) When very hot, add the squid and char each side for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch rings, including the tendrils. Add the squid to the lemon sauce. Crack freshly ground pepper over and serve immediately.

BRICK GRILLED BABY SQUID WITH TAMARIND-MINT DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat grill to high heat. Brush squid with oil on both sides and season with salt and white pepper. Place the squid on the grill close together and lay the bricks over the squid. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on 1 side, remove bricks, turn the squid over and place the bricks back on the squid and continue grilling for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the squid from the grill, place on a platter and immediately drizzle with the Tamarind-Mint Dressing. Garnish with chopped mint.
• Tamarind-Mint Dressing:
• Combine tamarind, vinegar, orange juice, mint, mustard and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning.

BRICK GRILLED BABY SQUID WITH TAMARIND-MINT DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat grill to high heat. Brush squid with oil on both sides and season with salt and white pepper. Place the squid on the grill close together and lay the bricks over the squid. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on 1 side, remove bricks, turn the squid over and place the bricks back on the squid and continue grilling for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the squid from the grill, place on a platter and immediately drizzle with the Tamarind-Mint Dressing. Garnish with chopped mint.
• Combine tamarind, vinegar, orange juice, mint, mustard and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning.

GRILLED BABY SQUID

Steps:

• Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; the fire should be quite hot (on a gas grill, as hot as you can get it) and the rack no more than 4 inches from the heat source and preferably less. Or preheat a heavy pan over high heat (and turn on an exhaust fan if you have one) for about 5 minutes.
• If you need to clean the squid, pull off the head and tentacles and separate them by cutting just behind the head; save the tentacles and discard the head. Rinse out the inside of the bodies and dry well.
• Sprinkle the squid with coarse salt and toss them lightly with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. If you are grilling, skewer the squid. Grill or pan-grill the squid quickly, about 1 minute per side; they should brown nicely but remain moist inside.
• Put the squid on a plate. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with lemon juice or vinegar and a bit more salt. Serve immediately.
• Grilled Baby Squid, Japanese Style
• Here the grill is requisite, because the soy sauce coating would burn on a griddle: After cleaning the squid, marinate them briefly in a mixture of 1/4 cup soy sauce and 2 tablespoons mirin (or 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 tablespoon white wine). Grill and garnish with toasted sesame seeds (page 596). (Black sesame seeds are more commonly used here, and they look nice against the white squid, so if you can find them, by all means use them. Look in Japanese, Chinese, or Indian stores.)

CHAR-GRILLED SQUID IN SHERRY MARINADE

Steps:

• Method
• 1. To make the marinade, whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the squid, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
• 2. Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Oil a perforated grill rack or a cast-iron grill griddle and preheat on the grill.
• 3. Remove the squid from the marinade. Place the squid on the prepared grill rack and grill for 4 minutes, turning once, or until the squid are almost opaque all the way through and have crisped around the ends and tentacles. Do not overcook or they will become rubbery.
• 4. To serve, arrange on a platter, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter with parsley.