Squid With Grilled Polenta And Collard Greens Recipes

POLENTA WITH GARLICKY GREENS-

Steps:

• Cut off and discard bottom 3 inches of Swiss-chard stems.
• Cut remaining stems into 1/2-inch slices; coarsely chop leaves.
• Rinse and dry stems and leaves separately; place in separate bowls.
• In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper over medium heat about 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly golden, stirring constantly.
• Increase heat to medium-high; add sliced chard stems to skillet and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Gradually add chard leaves and 1/2 teaspoons.
• salt, stirring until leaves wilt; stir in 1/3 cup water.
• Cover skillet and simmer 5 minutes or until stems and leaves are tender; stir in raisins and set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare polenta in microwave oven: In 4-quart microwave-safe bowl or casserole, combine cornmeal, 3/4 teaspoons salt, milk, and 4 1/2 ups water.
• Cover and cook on High 12 to 15 minutes, until thickened, stirring once.
• To serve, stir Parmesan into polenta.
• Spoon polenta on a platter; top with Swiss-chard mixture and sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Serve with additional Parmesan to sprinkle over each serving if you like.
• Makes 4 main dish servings.
• Note: If you like, polenta can be prepared on top of stove: In 4-quart saucepan, stir 1 teaspoons salt with 2 cups cold milk.
• Gradually whisk in cornmeal until blended,then whisk in 4 1/2 cups boiling water.
• Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

CHARGRILLED WHOLE SQUID

Steps:

• Turn the first squid upside down so that its wings are flat on your chopping board.
• Push in a large knife and leave it inside flat on its side. With a sharp knife, slice the squid as if you were going to chop it into rings. The knife that is lying inside the body of the squid will prevent you from cutting right through it. You end up with a concertina effect with the squid sliced, but still holding together. Repeat with the other three.
• In a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel seeds into a light powder with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle this all over the squid, making sure it gets into all the cuts you've made.
• Place immediately on the hottest part of the grill, and grill, turning every 30 seconds or so or every time it starts to char, until the squid firm up and turn from opaque to white inside. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
• Add the lemon juice to a bowl with 3 times as much extra virgin olive oil and whisk together. Stir in the lemon zest, chilli, mint and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Drizzle this over the squid, then serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

GRILLED SQUID SALAD

Steps:

• Soak the capers in a bowl of water. Squeeze all the lemon juice into a large shallow bowl and add 4 tablespoons of oil. Peel the garlic and finely chop with the chilli, anchovies, pistachios, drained capers and mint leaves. Scrape it all into the bowl and mix together well.
• Reserving the tentacles, run a sharp knife down the length of each squid tube, cutting through one side only so you can open each one out like a book. Lightly score the inside of each tube in a criss-cross fashion at ½cm intervals. To cook the squid, follow Franchina's guidance and get the tentacles on early, then add the tubes, from largest to smallest. In a screaming hot griddle pan or on a barbecue, cook each piece for about 1 minute per side - with no oil or seasoning - until lightly charred and starting to curl. Start with the cut side when you do the tubes, and keep the squid moving for even cooking. As each piece is done, use tongs to dunk it straight into the salsa, turning and coating it in all that flavour.
• Slice the tomatoes and lay over a serving platter. Finely slice the squid tubes, pull the tentacles apart, then arrange on top of the tomatoes. Spoon over all the remaining salsa, and serve hot or at room temperature.

GRILLED SQUID WITH CARROTS AND POLENTA

Steps:

• For the polenta: Bring broth to a low boil. Slowly whisk in polenta until blended. Reduce heat and continue to stir until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add butter, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir. Add heavy cream and grated Parm. Stir.
• Finely chop the roasted garlic and stir into the polenta. Season to taste with additional salt, broth and heavy cream. Set aside.
• For the squid: Combine the olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and shallots in a food processor and process. Pour the marinade over the squid and toss well, then let stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a preheated grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until tender with a slight char, 12 to 15 minutes. Toss with more lemon juice and salt, as desired.
• For the carrots: Add the duck fat, garlic, shallot and thyme to a cast-iron skillet preheated over medium heat and let it all brown, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add carrots to the pan and add generous salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every few minutes, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan, a few teaspoons at a time, with the dry sherry. Continue to cook until tender, an additional 5 to 10 minutes, then add more salt and pepper to taste. Halve carrots lengthwise.
• For the ghee Marsala sauce: Add the ghee, Marsala, parsley, red pepper, garlic, thyme and shallot to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer to get all large pieces out.
• Spoon 1/2 cup polenta into each plate, followed by 6 to 8 pieces of squid each, about 3 pieces of carrot and 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee Marsala sauce.

SQUID WITH GRILLED POLENTA AND COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Clean the squid. Hold the sac with one hand and with the other reach inside and pull away the head and tentacles. With your fingers, scrape away the dark skin on the outside of the sac under cold running water. It will come away easily. Inside the sac is a transparent cartilage that acts as though it is made of plastic. Pull this out and discard it. Thoroughly rinse inside the sac. Cut the tentacles from the head above the eyes. Reserve the tentacles and discard everything else. Cut the squid in rings a quarter of an inch wide. Cut the tentacles in half. Rinse everything several times under cold running water.
• Heat two tablespoons olive oil and gently sautee the onion, 1 clove garlic and pepper flakes until the onion is soft but not brown.
• Add the squid. Add the wine and tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook for 45 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, boil six cups water in a saucepan and add the polenta. Cook for three minutes, stirring frequently to get rid of all the lumps. Turn into a square or rectangular tin and cool. Preheat grill or broiler.
• After the squid has cooked for 45 minutes, check the sauce. If it is very liquid, continue cooking uncovered for a further 15 minutes. If too dry, add a little water and cook covered.
• Meanwhile, cut the stems from collard greens. Steam leaves five minutes or until wilted. Drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.
• Turn the polenta out of the tin, cut into slices about 2 by 4 inches, place on foil and broil on each side until lightly browned. While the polenta is browning, heat the remaining olive oil and lightly sautee the remaining garlic. Add the greens and stir-fry for three minutes. Place the squid in a heated serving dish and garnish with parsley or basil. Arrange the greens around the squid and place the polenta slices on top. Serve immediately.

GRILLED SQUID WITH LEMON, GARLIC AND CUMIN

Steps:

• Take the prepared squid, make a cut down one side of the body tube and open it. If you have had to use chunks of a large squid, then just lightly score the inside of the flesh, which will help tenderise it.
• Mix the lemon zest, cumin, sea salt, garlic and olive oil and rub into the squid and leave to marinate for a minimum of two hours in the fridge.
• Heat your grill plate until white patches start to appear.
• Remove the squid from the marinade and grill either side for no more than two minutes to ensure that you get those lovely black grill lines across the flesh.
• Push the squid down with the back of a fish slice and do the same with the tentacles.
• Take the squid off the hot grill and serve on a plate with a sprinkling of sea salt, juice of the lemon and sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander. Serve with a mixed green salad.