Squid noodles with shiitake

Serves 2

– 300g cleaned southern calamari hoods – 200g shiitake mushrooms

– 200ml chicken stock

– 150ml mirin

– 80ml light soy sauce

– 80g good-quality butter

– 20g garlic cloves

– 150ml grapeseed or other low-flavour oil – pinch of salt

– 1 lemon

– 10g young ginger (very finely sliced ribbons)

If you are buying the calamari cleaned from a supplier, place the hood on paper towel prior to grilling. If you are cleaning the calamari yourself, ensure you use minimal water, then place on paper towel to absorb excess.

Grill the hood over an open flame or charcoal. The ideal result here is to toast the surface rather than grill it. On a good, dry heat it will take about four minutes on one side then a further two on the other.

Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms. In a broad-based pot combine the stock, mirin and soy sauce and bring to the boil. Drop the mushrooms in the liquid and turn the heat off to rest for five minutes or so. Strain the mushrooms and retain the liquid in a pot. Squeeze the mushrooms over a fine strainer until they are mostly dry.

Bring the retained liquid to the boil, then add the butter. Let the mixture boil aggressively and agitate it constantly until the butter begins to mostly emulsify into the stock.

Crush the garlic using a mortar and pestle, then add to a small pot with the grapeseed oil and a pinch of salt. Bring the garlic up to start frying temperature and monitor it closely. When the garlic begins browning lightly, remove it from the heat and let it sit.

Once the calamari is grilled and rested, cut it into fine noodles using a long, sharp knife and a steady hand. Aim for the slices to be about one millimetre wide, place them in a mixing bowl and dress lightly with some of the garlic oil, the zest of half of the lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice. Adjust for salt, taking into account the salt level from the soy in the broth.

Tumble through the shiitake and the ginger once the calamari is dressed. Place a few spoons of the sauce into the bottom of a shallow bowl, then top with the salad.

Soft herbs and leaves such as basil or pea shoots can happily be integrated into this salad to form a more complete dish.