Mediterranean Squid Salad

Jordan Bailey

Forget about frying — sautéing is the way to go when you’re cooking squid at home, says chef Jordan Bailey. Here, he shares a recipe for a warm Mediterranean squid salad with poblano vinaigrette, a recent favorite from the Lumiere menu. Pretty and elegant, the relatively simple seafood dish gets some heat from the charred poblanos and an extra dose of brightness from the citrus.

Ingredients

For the squid
  • 2 pounds squid tentacles
  • 1 pound squid tubes
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the poblano vinaigrette
  • 4 ounces roasted poblano puree
  • 4 ounces seasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
For the preserved lemon
  • 3 large lemons
  • 8 ounces granulated sugar
  • 6 ounces kosher salt
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
For the salad
  • 2 cups picked & washed parsley leaves
  • 1/4 head fennel, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup green olives, chopped (Castelvetrano or Picholine work well)
  • 1/4 red onion, finely shaved (soaked in cold water, then drained)
  • 1/4 cup preserved lemon, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup sourdough croutons, roughly crushed
  • Olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste

Directions

For the squid
  1. Chef's note: Always use fresh squid, frozen is for cat food.
  2. Rinse tubes and tentacles in cold water, removing anything that shouldn’t be there, then pat dry.
  3. Slice tubes into 1/8 inch rounds, and cut down the tentacles into quarters if they are very large.
  4. In large sauté pan, sauté squid in olive oil for 2 minutes on high heat, transfer cooked squid to a colander to drain briefly, then refrigerate. When ready to prepare salad, toss cold squid in olive oil, salt & pepper, and 1 clove of grated garlic.
  5. Broil squid on high on oiled sheet tray, when tips of tentacles are lightly charred, the squid is ready to serve.
For the poblano vinaigrette
  1. Roast 3 large Poblano peppers over open flame on your stove top, when skins are completely charred, transfer peppers to bowl and tent with plastic wrap, let rest for ten minutes to finish cooking process.
  2. Peel and deseed the peppers, a little bit of the charred skin in the puree will benefit the flavor.
  3. Puree the peppers in food processor with dijon, simple syrup, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. When smooth puree develops, drizzle in olive oil, taste for seasoning. Poblano peppers very greatly in their smoke & spice, adjust the vinaigrette to your liking with more simple syrup, vinegar , or lemon juice. (Chef's note: You’re looking for a bold, funky vinaigrette to pair with the preserved lemon. If the vinaigrette comes out overly thick, simply add a few drops of water.)
For the preserved lemon
  1. Slice lemon, skin on, into ¼ inch rounds and place in small sauce pot, add other ingredients, and bring to a simmer on your stovetop. When liquid comes to a simmer, remove from heat, and cool at room temperature briefly, then place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before using.
For the salad
  1. Combine above ingredients in a large mixing bowl, let sit at room temperature while you broil your squid.
  2. When squid is nicely charred and somewhat crispy, add warm squid to mixing bowl with salad ingredients. Season with salt and pepper lightly, drizzle with olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
  3. Drizzle serving plates with Poblano vinaigrette, and then plate squid salad roughly on plates. Enjoy!

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