Salt Pepper Squid Food

SALT & PEPPER CRISPY SQUID

Steps:

• Cut the tubes open and check that they are really clean.
• Open them up from one side and lay them with the inside surface facing up. With a really sharp knife, make slanted cuts into the flesh of the squid at 5mm intervals - only shallow, don't cut through.
• Reverse and do it from the opposite direction to make diamond shapes.
• Then cut the tubes into wide strips and toss into the flours, salt and pepper. Shake off any excess - I find a sieve works best.
• When ready to cook, heat the oil to just smoking and add half of the squid sections.
• Cook until they are a pale golden brown. Drain on paper towelling. Repeat with the remaining squid.
• For the sauce, combine the rest of the ingredients.
• To serve, pile the squid into a shallow serving plate and pour over half of the dessing.
• Serve the rest of the dressing separately.

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID

Steps:

• Put the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Bash the salt and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until a bit more than bruised but not quite pulverized, and combine this mixture in a freezer bag with cornstarch, adding the squid and tossing to coat well but not heavily.
• When the oil's very hot - not quite smoking, but nearly - fry the squid (knocking any excess cornstarch back in the bag first) in batches (about 4, probably) and cook each batch for about 1 minute or so until just crisp on the outside and still sweet and tender within. You probably won't need to turn the squid since the oil should bubble up and cook both sides at once, but do if you feel better. Remove to plates lined with a paper towel. After the squid's sat for about half a minute, remove the greasy towel - though sometimes, I dispense with this stage - squeeze lemon over and eat with your fingers, quickly.

CRISPY SALT AND PEPPER SQUID WITH SPICY ASIAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the chili oil, vegetable oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the salad: In a medium bowl, combine the greens, carrots and scallions, but do not add the dressing yet. Cover with a damp paper towel and set in the fridge until ready to serve.
• For the squid: Fill a wok or deep fryer halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees F, or until a tiny piece of bread browns in 15 seconds. If frying in a wok, make sure that the wok is stable on a burner or wok ring.
• Whisk together the eggs and potato starch, and then coat each squid ring well with the batter. Carefully add the squid rings to the hot oil and fry, in batches, until a light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
• When ready to serve, toss the salad with a couple tablespoons of the dressing and top with the hot crispy squid. Garnish with sthe liced scallion greens and serve.
• Cook's Notes: You can use frozen squid rings, but fresh are best.
• This dish makes a great appetizer or a shared main course.

MEL'S SALT & PEPPER SQUID

Steps:

• Dry roast spices (salt, both types of peppercorns and chilli) in a pan over a low heat until salt starts to turn golden and spices fragrant.
• Place into a mortar and pestle and cool.
• Once cool, grind with the mortar and pestle to a fine consistency.
• Mix through the rice flour (tempura batter/ flour).
• Heat oil in a wok or saucepan to 180 degrees Celsius (a sugar thermometer is the safest and best way to check your temperature).
• Cut squid into thin strips (or score lightly with knife and cut into larger pieces).
• Dust lightly in the flour mix and cook a small batch at a time to retain the heat in the wok to give your squid crunch.
• Drain on absorbent paper and place onto your plate.
• To Serve Sprinkle some chopped coriander over the top, a bit more salt if you wish and add some lime wedges.
• Great with an Asian beer!
• I hope that you give it a try'cause it's not stringy and not too fishy- it ends up really tender.

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID

Steps:

• Slice the calamari tubes down one side and open them up to lay flat. Score the insides with a knife in a cross-hatch pattern. Set aside.
• Heat a small skillet over high heat with no oil. Add the peppercorns, and toast for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until they start to sizzle and pop. Remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the salt to the pan and cook over high heat until it has turned a gray color. Remove from the heat.
• Grind the salt and pepper with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until it becomes a fine powder. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and mix with flour and cornstarch.
• Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Place a few pieces of squid at a time into the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess and quickly fry them in the oil until browned, turning once. Each one should take about 30 seconds. Serve and eat immediately.

QUICK SALT & PEPPER SQUID

Steps:

• Ask the fishmonger to clean the squid; little ones often come ready-cleaned. Using kitchen scissors, cut open the body and open out. Wash well, then pat dry. If you have a large squid, cut the body into four portions, roughly square. Small squid can just be opened up.
• Using the tip of a very sharp knife, score the top in a neat criss-cross. Brush with oil and set aside while you heat the barbecue or griddle until ready to cook.
• Mix together 2 tsp sea salt, Chinese five-spice and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle on both sides of the squid just before cooking, according to taste. You may not need it all. Heat the griddle pan to hot and cook about 1 min each side, until it starts to curl. Remove with tongs to a serving plate and drizzle with a little sesame oil. To serve, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with small bowls of sweet chilli sauce to dip into.

SALT & PEPPER SQUID

Steps:

• To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside. Mix the cornflour and plain flour with both peppers and 2 tsp sea salt in a large bowl, then set aside. Line a tray with kitchen paper and make sure you have more salt to sprinkle with.
• Heat about 7cm of oil to 180C in a deep fryer, wok or deep pan. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test it with a cube of bread - it should brown in 20 secs. Coat the squid well with the flour mix and fry in batches for about 2 mins each or until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the squid, then drain on the kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more salt. Serve the squid scattered with the spring onion and chilli, with the dipping sauce on the side.