Grilled Squid With Carrots And Polenta Recipes

GRILLED SQUID (CALAMARI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Put the skewers in a container, cover with water, and soak for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the squid.
• Prepare a high (500 F to 600 F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Rinse the squid under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut the squid bodies lengthwise down one side and open flat.
• Cut the tentacles in half if too large.
• In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Add the squid bodies and tentacles to the bowl, tossing to evenly coat.
• Thread the squid bodies lengthwise onto skewers so they lie flat.
• Thread the tentacles onto separate skewers.
• Grill, turning once, just until opaque, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the squid from skewers and pile them on a platter.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan or a baking dish with parchment or foil. Toss vegetables with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs if using. Spread vegetables in an even layer.
• Combine polenta, water, and salt in a 2-quart baking dish and stir together. Place polenta and vegetables in the oven. If you can't fit both pans on the same (middle) rack, place vegetables on a lower rack. Roast vegetables for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the oven.
• If serving this with marinara sauce, make the sauce while the vegetables and polenta are in the oven.
• Continue to bake the polenta until it has been in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes and has absorbed the water. Remove from oven and stir in butter. Use a fork or a spatula to stir the polenta well, and return to oven for 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and stir again. Carefully taste a little bit of the polenta; if it is not completely soft, return to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Remove polenta from oven and stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, if using. Immediately spoon polenta onto plates and make a depression in the middle. Ladle on some marinara sauce and top with a generous spoonful of roasted vegetables. Sprinkle on remaining Parmesan and serve.

GRILLED POLENTA AND VEGETABLES WITH CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Make the chimichurri: Combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mini food processor. Blend until pourable, thinning with more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.
• Combine the polenta, red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the eggplant, squash, red onion, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
• Add the polenta and bell pepper to the grill and cook, flipping halfway through, until well marked and the pepper has softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet. Add the eggplant, squash and red onion to the grill and cook until well marked and softened, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the baking sheet with the polenta. Roughly chop the red onion and bell pepper.
• Divide the polenta, eggplant and squash among plates. Top with the red onion, bell pepper and walnuts and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Drizzle with the chimichurri.

SHRIMP-STUFFED CALAMARI WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Prepare the calamari: Rinse the bodies and set aside. Dice the tentacles and the shrimp into 1/4-to-1/2-inch pieces. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the diced calamari tentacles and shrimp, the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, basil, lemon zest and juice, anchovies and garlic. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and mix until combined.
• Using your fingers, stuff each calamari body about two-thirds full with the shrimp-breadcrumb mixture and close with a toothpick. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Sear the calamari in batches until browned and opaque on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes, and transfer to a plate.
• Make the sauce: Lower the heat, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, then add the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pot. Boil until the wine is almost evaporated, then crush the tomatoes into the pot with your hands and add the juices. Add 1 cup water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the basil stalks. Arrange the calamari in a single layer in the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the calamari are tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and cook until the sauce thickens, 10 to 15 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the polenta: Place 4 1/2 cups cold water in a separate pot over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and the bay leaf. Whisk in the polenta in a slow, steady stream, then increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese.
• Divide the polenta among shallow bowls. Discard the toothpicks and place the calamari on top of the polenta. Remove the basil stalks and spoon the sauce over the dish. Garnish with the chopped basil and more parmesan.

GRILLED ORANGE POLENTA TOPPED WITH CRABMEAT SALAD AND HERB OIL

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan add water, zest, orange juice and salt. Bring to a boil and gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook polenta over moderately low heat (it should barely boil), stirring constantly, until very thick and it pulls from the sides of the pan about 3 minutes. Once cooked evenly pour polenta onto a lightly greased 1/4 sheet pan. Sprinkle with fresh black pepper, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm about 15 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl add the crabmeat, diced figs, zest and juice of a lemon and mayonnaise. Gently mix trying to leave crabmeat in lumps. Season with salt and fresh black pepper, to taste. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
• In a blender place the chives and basil and a little of the oil. Start to blitz the ingredients together adding more oil until the mixture is a smooth green herb oil. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat grill to medium-high.
• Remove polenta from refrigerator. Take a large can (3-inches in diameter) and remove the top and bottom lid. Using the can cut 4 rounds of polenta. Brush olive oil on both sides and place on grill 3 minutes per side. Once grilled place a polenta round on the center of a plate and use the same can for molding the crabmeat salad. Place the can over the polenta and spoon in about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the crabmeat mixture, push the mixture down with the back of the spoon and lift the can away creating a crabmeat mold on top of the polenta. Top with a few mixed green leaves. Drizzle herb oil over top and serve.

GRILLED CARROTS WITH HARISSA BUTTER

Steps:

• Toss 1 1/2 pounds peeled small carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat, covered, turning, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon harissa, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and a pinch each of salt and pepper; toss with the carrots. Top with torn mint and flaky salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

GRILLED POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, 1 1/2 quarts water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish, and stir together. Place the baking dish on top of a sheet pan (so that if water sloshes when you put it in the oven, it will just go onto the sheet pan), and place in the oven. Bake one hour. Remove from the oven, stir in the butter and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir again. Return to the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, until stiff. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then chill for one hour or more.
• Prepare a medium grill or heat an electric griddle on medium. Cut the polenta into squares, and brush the squares on both sides with olive oil. Place on the grill or griddle. When grill marks appear or when nicely browned, usually in about two to three minutes, turn and brown the other side. Serve hot.

WOOD-GRILLED OCTOPUS AND SQUID

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook until the onions are clear, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, wine, octopus and herbs. Cover with water and simmer until the octopus is fork-tender, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, run a knife along 1 side of each squid tube from the opening to the pointed end. Open the flap and score each piece, without cutting through the flesh. Place the squid in a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and lemon. Marinate for 2 hours.
• Remove the octopus from the liquid and let cool slightly. Heat a grill, preferably using hard wood, until very hot. Cut the legs off the octopus at the base of the body and discard the body. Brush the legs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on the grill for a few minutes. Remove the squid from the marinade and place the tentacles on the grill. Add the squid bodies, laying them out flat. Cook the octopus legs until charred and cook the squid just until it turns opaque. Divide among 4 plates, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.

SQUID WITH GRILLED POLENTA AND COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Clean the squid. Hold the sac with one hand and with the other reach inside and pull away the head and tentacles. With your fingers, scrape away the dark skin on the outside of the sac under cold running water. It will come away easily. Inside the sac is a transparent cartilage that acts as though it is made of plastic. Pull this out and discard it. Thoroughly rinse inside the sac. Cut the tentacles from the head above the eyes. Reserve the tentacles and discard everything else. Cut the squid in rings a quarter of an inch wide. Cut the tentacles in half. Rinse everything several times under cold running water.
• Heat two tablespoons olive oil and gently sautee the onion, 1 clove garlic and pepper flakes until the onion is soft but not brown.
• Add the squid. Add the wine and tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook for 45 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, boil six cups water in a saucepan and add the polenta. Cook for three minutes, stirring frequently to get rid of all the lumps. Turn into a square or rectangular tin and cool. Preheat grill or broiler.
• After the squid has cooked for 45 minutes, check the sauce. If it is very liquid, continue cooking uncovered for a further 15 minutes. If too dry, add a little water and cook covered.
• Meanwhile, cut the stems from collard greens. Steam leaves five minutes or until wilted. Drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.
• Turn the polenta out of the tin, cut into slices about 2 by 4 inches, place on foil and broil on each side until lightly browned. While the polenta is browning, heat the remaining olive oil and lightly sautee the remaining garlic. Add the greens and stir-fry for three minutes. Place the squid in a heated serving dish and garnish with parsley or basil. Arrange the greens around the squid and place the polenta slices on top. Serve immediately.