Something's fishy with Jamie Oliver

I Heart Cooking Clubs is cooking with Jamie Oliver and this time something's fishy! Not the easiest theme for my family. Fish doesn't always go over well with them. So I didn't even try. This time I made something I knew I would like, and the big kid might like it, too.

SQUID!  

Before you say ewwww, I was also in that camp, the one where I thought squid and calamari was disgusting. Disgusting until one day I developed a shellfish allergy. And no more linguine with clam sauce, no more oysters, scallops, crab or shrimp. Nothing alarming at first, a few hives. Didn't think twice. But by the third and fourth time I was covered. Squid became a necessity for someone who absolutely loves most shellfish. Raw, cooked, it's the one thing I miss. Linguine with white clam sauce and a side of Benadryl? Not a chance. So for now I am stuck with squid, and it turns out, I really like it. Which surprised me. And I loved this recipe. Chargrilled squid with the guacamole! Great recipe, me and the big kid really enjoyed it. I used the grill pan, talk about smoke. Smoking hot. And smoke alarms! But then the smoke cleared, the calamari was done, and all in all, it was a very good dish. I put in on top if some baby arugula. Topped with some chopped tomatoes, pickled jalapeno's and a squeeze of lime.

So thanks, Jamie Oliver, maybe one day I will outgrow this allergy and I can try one of your delicious shrimp dishes next. In the meantime, I will be making this one again.

Chargrilled Squid with Rustic Guacamole
Source: Jamie Oliver, original recipe found @ JamieOliver.com
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

4 squid tubes, cleaned and kept whole, and tentacles
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lime

Guacamole:
2 very ripe avocados
1-2 fresh red chillies, chopped fine
a few sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1/2 a red onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 tomato, chopped
juice of 2 limes

Guacamole: Squeeze the avocados out of their skins into a bowl, removing the pits. Add most of the chilli and cilantro, the onion, tomato and lime juice. Mix everything up with a spoon, breaking up any bigger bits of avocado as you go. Taste for seasoning; and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Put a griddle pan on a high heat to get nice and hot. There are two ways to prepare squid – choose whichever you prefer, or do both to get a feel for it. For both methods put the tentacles aside. The first way is to place a knife inside the tube and lay it on your chopping board, then score across the squid at 1/2 inch intervals with a small sharp knife. The knife inside will prevent you from cutting all the way through so you’ll be left with ‘concertina’ squid. This method lets heat and flavors in and looks good. The second way is to put the knife in the tube and cut through the side, open it out then lightly score every 1/2 inch in a criss-cross fashion with a blunt knife. This means the squid will curl up and absorb extra flavor.  (I did the second method)

Season the squid with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil then toss to coat. Add it to the screaming hot griddle, scored-side down, for 1 to 2 minutes (you may need to do this in batches). Use tongs to turn the squid over once it has nice char marks. Give it a minute on the other side until it curls up then immediately transfer to a bowl and hit it with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, the lime juice and another small pinch of salt and pepper. The legs can stay on the griddle for a bit longer to get crispy.

Spoon the guacamole onto a platter. Cut the legs up a bit and add to the bowl of dressed squid. Cut the concertina and scored squid into bite-sized chunks. Pile the squid over the guacamole and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Scatter over the reserved cilantro and chilli then tuck in.

Join I Heart Cooking Clubs to cook something fishy with Jamie Oliver!

and

Dining with Debbie for What's On the Menu Wednesday!

 

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 Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter 

 

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