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Sunday, April 08, 2012

GRILLED SQUID WITH MINT SAUCE


This simple recipe for Turmeric and Pepper Calamari  is fast and delicious to cook up - plus it's low-fat compared to the usual deep-fried calamari. This dish is superb when grilled on the barbecue, literally taking only minutes to cook. The turmeric & pepper barbecue rub is equally easy to make - just toss a few dry spices together, and you're done! This calamari recipe makes a great appetizer, or serve as the main course together with rice, a salad, or other side dishes. And if the weather doesn't cooperate, this calamari can also be pan-fried. I served this with mint sauce - Fantastic !!!!!!!



Grilled Squid With Mint Sauce



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Ingredients:


1/2 to 3/4 lb. cleaned/prepared calamari tubes, or enough for 2 people, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper (available in most spice aisles)
1/2 tsp. sea salt or regular salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chili flakes, to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder or onion salt
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)
1/2 lime, sliced into wedges
optional: 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce, to taste
optional garnish: 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Directions:


Using a knife, cut open the calamari tubes so that they lie flat.
  1. Rinse the calamari and place on a tea towel or absorbent paper. Pat them dry. Dry them as well as possible, otherwise the spice mixture won't stick. Cut the calamari lengthwise into strips (approx. 1 inch wide), and place in a mixing bowl.
  2. Drizzle the oil over the calamari and stir, ensuring all surfaces are covered. Mix the dry spices together in a cup or small bowl, then sprinkle over the oiled calamari. Toss until all the calamari strips are coated in the spices. Set aside to marinate while you heat up the grill.
  3. Lightly brush your grill with oil, then cook the calamari until edges curl up (some strips may curl completely into a circle) - this only takes 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the heat of your grill. Cooking tips: You want the calamari to be lightly browned and chewy, but not rubbery, so try not to overcook it. If your grill bars are too wide (so that the calamari might fall through), use a fish cage or place a piece of banana leaf (or foil) over the grill surface and cook over it.
  4. Place the calamari on a serving platter (if desired, over a bed of baby greens). Cut the 1/2 lime into wedges and squeeze over. Taste-test the calamari. If not salty enough, sprinkle over a little oyster sauce or more salt. If too salty for your taste, add more fresh-squeezed lime juice. 
  5. Serve with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping or Mint Sauce. Note that this dish can be served over salad or with rice for a complete meal. ENJOY!
  6. To pan-fry the calamari indoors: Heat up your wok or frying pan (place the dry pan over medium-high heat for at least 1 minute). Add about 1 Tbsp. oil and swirl around, then add the calamari. Turn the heat down to medium and pan-fry 1-2 minutes per side, or until the calamari is lightly browned and curls up around the edges. Again, don't overcook, or it will no longer be tender. Serve as instructed above, and enjoy!ts:                                                                                                    MInt Sauce 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
    1 cup malt vinegar
    2 tablespoons white sugar
    small bottles for storage
    Mint Sauce

    Instructions:

    Rinse young, healthy mint leaves, strip from the stems, and chop into fine pieces. I usually process most of the leaves in the blender, with a little of the vinegar, leaving some aside to chop by hand. The leaves chopped in the blender will be very fine, and infuse a fine flavor, while those done by hand are a little coarser and will be more visible in the decorative vinegar jar.

    Bring vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan, add sugar and chopped leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse. Add more sugar or add a little water to taste, depending on how strong or how sweet you want the sauce. (I add no extra water or sugar to this recipe, but you may prefer a less strong infusion.) 

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