Recipe: Marinated Squid Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

Turn up the heat with the pop of paprika, chilli and ginger in this squid salad. Here’s a recipe from Brasserie Blanc that’s sure to welcome the new season with a kick.

 

Ingredients:

500g squid tubes (cleaned weight – ask your fishmonger to prep it)

 

For the marinade

50ml extra virgin olive oil

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2cm piece of ginger, grated

Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

 

For the dressing

1/2 290g jar of roasted red peppers, drained and diced

1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1tbsp white wine vinegar

 

For salad

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 sprig of rosemary

1 courgette

1 small aubergine

1 lemon, juice only

Extra virgin olive oil

1 bag of rocket

4 handfuls of frisée

Balsamic vinegar

Small bunch of coriander, leaves picked

 

Method

1. Using a sharp knife, slice the squid in half lengthways and lay it flat, skin-side up, on the chopping board. Pat dry with kitchen paper and pull off the thin membrane from the skin. Score a lattice pattern on the surface, taking care not to cut right through it.
2. Place all the marinade ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Brush the squid liberally with the marinade and set aside.
3. To make the dressing, rinse the blender bowl and blitz the red pepper, paprika, olive oil and vinegar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a heavy bottom pan, heat the oil over a low heat. Add the onion and rosemary sprigs with a pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently until soft and translucent. Remove the rosemary and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, put a griddle pan over a medium heat. Thinly slice the courgette and aubergine lengthways, toss in a little olive oil, then griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side until cooked. Drain on kitchen paper, drizzle with half of the lemon juice (reserve the rest) and season. Set aside.
6. To cook the squid, heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and brush the pan with oil. Sear the squid in batches for 1 minute on each side or until well caramelised, then remove from the pan. Brush the squid again with marinade after cooking.
7. Whisk the remaining lemon juice into the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to make a dressing.
8. Mix the rocket, frisée, onions, aubergine and courgette in a bowl, toss together with the dressing and divide amongst the plates. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar around the plate and spoon over the red pepper dressing. Place the squid on top of the salad and garnish with coriander.

 

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