Calamari Salad

Calamari Salad

Cooked Calamari

Ingredients:

• 1 lb calamari, ½ tails and ½ tentacles 
  
• 2 ribs celery, small dice
  
•  ½ cup tomatoes, small dice
  
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced into rings
  
•  1 mini yellow pepper, sliced into rings
  
•  1 mini red pepper, sliced into rings
  
•  1 teaspoon red chili, seeded and minced (more if you like it hot)
  
•  ½ small red onion, sliced thin
  
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
  
•  1 lemon, zest and juice
  
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  
•   ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
•  salt and pepper to taste

 Step 1: Prepare the calamari

Run the calamari under cold water.  Drain and slice the tails into ½ inch rings. Bring a six quart pot of salted water to boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and keep it next to your pot.  First add the tails (the order is important because the tentacles turn the water purple).  Remove them with a slotted spoon as they begin to float (this takes about 30-45 seconds) and plunge them into the ice water.  Once cooled, drain them and pat them dry.

When all the tails are out, let the water return to a rolling boil and add the tentacles to the pot.  Remove them as soon as they start to float and add them to the pot, removing them as soon as they start to float.  Then plunge the tentacles into the ice bath.  Once cooled, drain them and pat them dry.

Step 2: Mixing the salad

In a large bowl, add the celery, tomatoes, olives, peppers, onion, garlic and lemon zest.  In a smaller bowl, add the lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil and whisk aggressively until it forms an emulsion. 

Add the calamari to the bowl with the vegetables and then pour the dressing over it.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Then store it in the fridge for about an hour before eating – if it can last that long.

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