BBQ salt and pepper squid

Have you seen this dish on restaurant menus and wanted to try cooking it at home? It isn’t hard to do. Just grab a few fresh ingredients and follow Dr Sue Shepherd’s recipe below.

BBQ SALT & PEPPER SQUID

Serves 4

Ingredients 

• 8 medium squid hoods, well cleaned and cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Garden Salad:

• 150 g lettuce leaves
• 1/2 continental cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green capsicum, seeded and sliced
• 1 cup (50 g) snow pea (mangetout) sprouts

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• salt

Method

Using a sharp knife, score the squid hoods with a 1 cm crisscross pattern. Take care not to cut all the way through – just about three-quarters of the way. This will ensure the squid will curl when cooked.

Combine the olive oils, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the squid pieces and toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 3–4 hours.

Shortly before you’re ready to eat, prepare the salad. Combine the lettuce, cucumber, avocado, celery, capsicum and sprouts in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small screw-top jar and shake well to combine.

Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan to high (or place a non-stick frying pan over high heat). Add the squid pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes or until curled and lightly golden.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Divide among individual plates and arrange the squid on top. Serve immediately.