Grilled Calamari Salad
Local Ocean’s Classic
GRILLED CALAMARI SALAD
TIME: 10 minutes
SERVING SIZE: 5 oz. calamari per person
IN THE BOX
Grilled Calamari (precooked in herb paste)
Roasted Fennel, Poblano Pepper, + Shiitake Mushrooms
Oranges
Niçoise Olives
Parsley + Green Onion
Queso Fresco
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Herb Butter
Lemon
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Salt + Pepper to season
STEPS
Note from the Local Ocean Kitchen - For this salad, everything is pre-cooked - all you have to do is reheat the grilled calamari and assemble the salad. Keep in mind that the calamari has a tendency to cool very quickly, so wait to heat it until immediately prior to serving so it may be enjoyed while still warm.
1. Combine the veggies - Transfer the roasted fennel, poblano pepper, shiitake mushrooms, oranges, Niçoise olives, and 1/2 of the parsley and green onion into a large bowl, dress with ¾ of the white balsamic vinaigrette, and toss until evenly distributed.
2. Prepare the lemon, cutting it lengthwise in half, then each half into thirds as wedges.
3. Heat the grilled calamari - Heat the herb butter in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the grilled calamari, being careful to avoid sticking to the pan. Shake the pan gently as you add each portion to make sure it has enough butter between it and the pan. Heat for about 1 minute, then flip and heat another minute until hot all the way through. Remove from heat to avoid overcooking.
4. Plate by dividing the salad veggies evenly between portions. Top with queso fresco, the remaining parsley and green onion, and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Finish with hot grilled calamari and serve with a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Our Rhode Island Calamari is caught fresh from North Atlantic waters. It is once-frozen, which is why the texture is so much better than most. Most other people’s squid (calamari) are caught here (even for those on the West Coast) but frozen whole and shipped to China for processing. The Chinese processed squid is tougher because once it comes back to the US, it has been frozen twice. At that point you might as well coat it in a bunch of batter and deep fry it!
Updated June 2022