Flash-fried squid with tomato and tequila salsa
A friend of mine recently asked me for a recipe that would go with a burger for the Berlin Bruisers Bash About, a gay and inclusive rugby club tournament. This salsa is what I came up with and it is now a favourite at my table. Diamond-etching the squid makes it curl up jauntily and keeps it lusciously tender. And, although I was initially hesitant about trying my hand at it, I can happily report that it is much more complicated to explain than it is to do.
Flash-fried squid with tomato and tequila salsa SERVES 4 For the salsa: Red onion – 50g (½ a small one), peeled and cut into small dice Tequila – 1 x 15ml tablespoon Lime – 2 x 15ml tablespoons of juice Tomatoes – 250g (approx. 3 regularsized), de-seeded and cut into small dice Fresh jalapeño chilli – 1, de-seeded and finely diced Red chilli – 1, de-seeded and finely diced Sea salt flakes – 1 teaspoon For the squid: Medium squid – whole, cleaned, tubes and tentacles (approx. 700g cleaned) Regular olive oil – 3 x 15ml tablespoons Sea salt flakes – ½ teaspoon Pepper – a good grinding Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled and minced To serve: Rocket leaves 1 Tip the prepared onion into a bowl and pour the tequila and lime juice over it. Stir well and tamp down a little. Leave it to steep for at least 15 minutes. 2 Stir in the tomatoes, jalapeño chilli, red chilli and salt, and taste a little to see if any more salt is needed. Set aside while you get on with the squid. 3 Put the tentacles into a bowl big enough to take all the rest of the squid later. 4 Slice open one of the squid tubes and lay it out flat on a chopping board, with the inside facing up and the narrow end at the top. Using a sharp knife, score deep diagonal lines into the flesh, but be careful not to cut all the way through. Score lines in the other direction to make a diamond pattern. 5 Cut the scored squid tube into approximately 5cm squares and put the pieces in the bowl with the tentacles. Repeat with the remaining tubes. Add the oil, salt, pepper and garlic to the bowl of prepared squid, and give it a good stir to ensure it’s all evenly coated. 6 Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan until very hot. You don’t need to add oil to the pan, as you’ve added the oil to the squid. Working in batches, drop the scored squid tubes into the pan – it doesn’t matter which way up they land – and let them cook over a high heat, turning them regularly with tongs, for about 2 minutes, or until they have lost their translucency and are just cooked through. The pieces will curl up with a very visible diamond pattern. 7 Transfer to a large plate or bowl as you go. Once all these pieces are cooked, add the tentacles to the pan and fry, stirring regularly, until curly and cooked through. 8 Arrange on rocket leaves and serve with the tomato and tequila salsa on the side, sprinkling some on top, too, if wished.