Charred Padrón Chiles And Squid Salad Recipes

SALAD OF MARINATED CHARRED SQUID WITH CANNELLINI BEANS, ROCKET, AND CHILE

Steps:

• Try to get your fishmonger to skin and gut the squid for you. Score the squid lightly in a casual criss-cross fashion. Set it aside while you get a griddle pan very, very hot. You can also use a wok or the barbecue.
• Season the squid lightly with salt and pepper just before cooking, then add it to the pan. After a minute, it should be nicely charred, so turn it over and cook for a further minute. Remove the squid from the pan and set aside.
• Heat up the cannellini beans and sprinkle them into a bowl. Add the sliced chiles to the bowl with the rocket, lemon juice, and olive oil, and season. Cut the squid at irregular angles and toss it in with the rest of the ingredients. A good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the top will finish it off nicely.

CHARRED PADRóN CHILES AND SQUID SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk serrano chile, olive oil, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl to combine; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Very thinly slice 2 Padrón chiles into rings and add to vinaigrette. Let sit 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Pat squid dry with a paper towel; sprinkle with Aleppo-style pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until bottom side is golden brown, about 1 minute. Toss squid and continue to cook, tossing often, until cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a medium bowl and wipe out skillet.
• Heat remaining 1 tsp. vegetable oil in skillet and cook remaining Padrón chiles, tossing occasionally, until blistered and browned in spots and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer chiles to bowl with squid; add vinaigrette with sliced chiles, cilantro, and basil and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

THAI-STYLE SQUID AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add cucumber, chiles, and peanuts and toss to coat. Set aside.
• Make sure squid is as dry as possible, then toss with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Separate bodies from tentacles.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet until smoking. Sear half of the tentacles (don't try to do more than half-you don't want to crowd the pan), turning once halfway through, until lightly charred and opaque, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining tentacles, adding more oil if needed. Add a little more oil, then sear half of the bodies, turning once and picking up with tongs so that any liquid that has accumulated inside bodies can pour off into skillet and evaporate, until lightly charred and opaque, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate with cooked tentacles. Repeat with remaining bodies. Thinly slice bodies, then transfer squid to bowl with cucumber mixture and toss to coat.
• Arrange salad on a platter and drizzle remaining dressing over. Top with cilantro sprigs. Serve with rice alongside, if using.

CHILLI & LIME SQUID SALAD

Steps:

• Mix two-thirds of the chillies and the garlic-infused oil in a large bowl and add the squid. Cover with cling film and leave them to marinate for at least 1 hr or overnight in the fridge.
• Just before serving, heat the barbecue or a griddle pan. Combine the avocado slices with the rocket. Divide between 6 small plates or bowls.
• When the barbecue is hot or your griddle pan almost smoking, add the limes, cut-side down. Tip on the squid, pressing lightly with the back of a fish slice to create charred lines. When the squid feels slightly firm, about 1 min 30 secs into cooking, turn over and press down with the fish slice again, cooking for another 1 min 30 secs or until the squid feels firm. Remove and place on a board.
• Slice the squid into 1-2cm rings and top each salad with a few rings and some crispy onions. Serve half a charred lime on the side for squeezing over, with the remaining chilli scattered over and a drizzle of garlic oil.