Warm squid, leek and caper salad
SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES
1kg whole small fresh squid
2 bunches (24) pencil leeks, trimmed, or use spring onions (Note: these will have a more intense flavour)
250ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
¼ cup (60ml) verjuice
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons marjoram leaves 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 cup (150g) plain flour, for dusting
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 To clean the squid, pull the head and tentacles from the body, being careful not to break the ink sac. Cut just below the eyes and then discard the eyes and intestines. Cut the tentacles into 3 even pieces and set aside. Lightly rinse and pat dry. Keep the skin and wings on and cut into 5mm thick rings then set aside with the tentacles. You will have approximately 500g of squid.
2 Brush leeks or spring onions with some of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a char grill or griddle pan over a high heat; cook leeks or spring onions for about 5 minutes on each side or until caramelised and tender, transfer to a serving platter.
3 Peel the lemon with a potato peeler, only removing the rind in strips and then juice the lemon. Place the lemon rind, verjuice and bay leaves in a small saucepan and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes or until rind is translucent. Remove from the heat and stir in marjoram, ¼ cup of the extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
4 Place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and fry the capers until crispy, remove and set aside.
5 Toss the squid in seasoned flour and shake off the excess flour.
6 Return frying pan to the heat with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Once hot, shallow fry squid in 3 batches for about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove from pan, drain on a paper towel-lined tray. Wipe the pan and repeat twice more with remaining squid and olive oil.
7 Sprinkle parsley over leeks or spring onions; drizzle over the verjuice dressing. Top with squid and capers.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.