Seared Squid with Salsa Verde & Spicy Wedges

Serves 4

Ingredients

800g fresh squid, small to medium

1 red chilli

1 green chilli

50ml quality oil

3tsp Cajun spice

½ tsp paprika

½ bunch of flat parsley

4 medium Maris Piper potatoes

2 tsp semolina (optional) Salsa verde

1 lemon Salt/fresh cracked black pepper

For the salsa verdi

2 or 3 cloves of garlic; 6 anchovy fillets; 2 banana shallots; 1 lemon, zested; 4 tbsp capers; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 bunch flat parsley; 1 bunch of mint; 1 bunch of basil; olive oil

Method

First, get your spicy wedges started. Bake your potatoes in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for about 40 mins - 1 hour, just until the potatoes have cooked. This can be done in advance or, if you are in a real hurry, in the microwave.

Next, prepare the chillies and herbs. I like to get the ‘cleaner jobs’ out the way before starting on messy jobs like squid. Top and tail each chilli, split in half, remove the seeds and the pith. Cut each half into very thin strips and then dice finely. With the parsley give it a wash then pick the leaves off the stalks, and in small bunches roll up the leaves and shred finely. Zest and half the lemon.

If your potatoes are cooked and cooled a little, cut them in half then cut each half into wedges, place onto a tray and coat in oil and dust with the Cajun spice and the semolina. The semolina gives the wedges a little bit more of a crunch.

You can shallow fry or bake in a hot oven at around 210°C. Now onto the squid. Don’t be put off working with squid – it’s very easy. Be sure it’s the freshest squid possible. It should be relatively clean and have a pleasant smell. Remove the tentacles by holding the squid tube in your left hand and with your right hand grip it right at the point it meets the tube, and pull. This will also remove most of the innards. Cut the tentacles away from the eye and the innards by cutting where the eye meets the tentacles. Lastly, remove the beak from the centre of the tentacles.

Now onto the squid tube itself, remove the outer skin if it has any and the two wings. Next turn the squid inside out. Make sure you remove the transparent spine and give it all a good clean. You will now notice that the squid tube has a seam running from top to bottom. Using your knife or a pair of scissors, cut along this line. This will open up the squid. Next, establish which is the soft side. Score the soft side of the squid making sure you don’t cut all the way through.

Place the cut squid and tentacles into a bowl with some oil, the Cajun spice, paprika, diced chillies, lemon zest and seasoning. Place you pan or skillet onto the heat, get it as hot as you dare, pour a little oil into the pan then cut side down first place in the squid tubes flat as you can. Once all the tubes are in add the tentacles. Don’t shake or shuggle the pan until the squid is almost cooked and with a pair of tongs peel the squid from the bottom of the pan.

The squid should spring inside out, revealing the cut edge. Finish by adding the chopped parsley and lemon juice. Serve with your spiced wedges and your Salsa Verde.

For the salsa verde

First, finely chop the garlic and the shallots. Next, wash and dry all the herbs, then with a cook’s knife chop the herbs. Next, chop the garlic, shallots and cut the capers in half. Chop down the anchovies. You are now ready to bring it together. In a bowl add the mustard, lemon zest and all your chopped ingredients. Mix together and gradually add the olive oil until it become like a paste.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.