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MAD MED
About the Recipe
Recipe developer Glenda Kelly created this recipe just for you readers of MAD for MED. The success of cooking squids starts with the cooking portion. Once these little sea creatures get overcooked, they turn chewy. So it is crucial for the cooking time to be on the point. Soft, moist, perfectly scented with lemon and orange zest, with a fresh mixture of lemon juice and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, basil, and garlic to deliver a prolonged delicate fresh back taste.
Ingredients
2 Lb Tiny Squids
1 Garlic Clove
1 Organic Orange
1 Organic Lemon
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Parsley Stems
10 Parsley Leaves
2 Basil stems
5 Basil Leaves
Preparation
Clean the squids with plenty of running cold water.
With your hands, separate their heads from their bodies (mantles.
Extract the transparent cartilage from inside their mantles.
Rewash the tiny tube squids with cold running water and remove the entrails.
Peel off the outer skin, remove the flaps, and continue peeling until you have a perfectly white calamari tube.
Dry the squids with a food grade paper towel.
If you have bought already cleaned squids, the above procedure does not apply.
Line up a small piece of parchment paper on the top of your working space.
Rinse off and dry both the citrus fruits.
Rub the orange and lemon zest with a pinch of sea salt.
Brush off the sea salt and recoup it on the parchment paper, where you will also grate the zests and set them aside in a small bowl.
Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half and remove the inner germ.
Grate the garlic to extract its juices; add to the bowl containing the citrus-flavored sea salt and the grated zest.
Add three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and stir.
Remove the stems from the parsley and basil leaves, cut by hands into smaller pieces, and add to the mixture.
Tear apart the basil leaves by hand into smaller pieces and add the mixture.
Finely chop the parsley and add to it and mix till combined.
Place the cleaned squids into a large bowl.
Top the squids with Mediterranean flavored extra virgin olive oil.
Using your hands, massage the tiny tube squids inside out.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it onto the top shelf of your fridge for at least an hour, with the accuracy of mixing by hand every 15 minutes.
Once ready, put your cast iron skillet or your nonstick grill pan on the burner of your stove.
Turn on the burner to medium heat; once the skillet gets hot, grill for 2/3 minutes on each side while grilling the tentacles for 1/2 minutes because they cook faster.
Once the tentacles are cooked, place them on the top of the already flipped side of the squids. This method will keep them warm.
Plate and serve right away while still warm.
Garnish by brushing more mixture to the squids.
Enjoy!