Salt and pepper calamari salad
Item 1 of 1
Paul Welburn captures pure summer sunshine in his salt and pepper calamari salad recipe, with charred watermelon and a silky smooth avocado purée adding plenty of light, refreshing flavours. Squid or cuttlefish could be used to make the calamari; just ask your fishmonger for help preparing it if unsure.
First published in 2016
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Salt and pepper calamari
- 500g of squid, cleaned and cut into thin rings and tentacles
- 100g of plain flour
- 50g of cornflour
- 25g of baking powder
- 190ml of sparkling water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- oil, for deep-frying
Charred watermelon
- 1/2 watermelon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
- 50g of honey
- 75ml of sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp of natural yoghurt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lime, juiced
Avocado purée
- 2 avocados
- 200ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 50g of black quinoa
- 1 mixed salad leaves, large pack
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Blender
- Deep-fryer
Method
1
Begin by cooking the quinoa. Bring a small pan of water to the boil over a medium heat then add the quinoa and cook for 10–12 minutes until plumped up and just tender. Drain and spread out on a plate or tray to cool
- 50g of black quinoa
2
Meanwhile, place a griddle pan over a high heat. Peel the watermelon and cut into 3cm thick slices. Brush with the oil and season with a little salt and pepper before placing the slices on the hot griddle
- 1/2 watermelon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
3
Grill for a few minutes, turning over halfway through, so that both sides are nicely charred. Set aside to cool slightly before cutting into bite-sized chunks. You can also cook the melon on a barbecue, if preferred
4
Place the dressing ingredients in a jar, seal and shake well to emulsify (alternatively, whisk together in a bowl until well combined)
- 50g of honey
- 75ml of sherry vinegar
- 200ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lime, juiced
5
Peel and stone the avocados, scooping the flesh into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blitz to form a smooth purée. Add spoonfuls of the purée to each serving plate
- 2 avocados
- 2 tbsp of natural yoghurt
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
6
Preheat a deep-fryer with oil to 170°C
- oil, for deep-frying
7
For the calamari, mix together both flours and the baking powder in a bowl then whisk in the sparkling water to achieve a smooth batter – add a little more water if it seems too thick
- 100g of plain flour
- 50g of cornflour
- 25g of baking powder
- 190ml of sparkling water
8
Dip the squid pieces in the batter so that they are fully coated then deep-fry in batches for 3–4 minutes until crisp and light golden in colour. Drain any excess oil on kitchen paper and season well with the salt and pepper. Squeeze over the juice from 1 wedge of lime and reserve the rest for serving
- 500g of squid, cleaned and cut into thin rings and tentacles
- 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
9
Place the cooked quinoa, charred watermelon and salad leaves in a large bowl and toss together with 2–3 tbsp of the dressing. Divide between the serving plates then top with the salt and pepper calamari. Serve with the extra lime wedges and a little more dressing drizzled over
- 1 large pack of salad
First published in 2016
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