Marinated Calamari Salad
Mar 20th, 2008 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Appetizer, Dressing, Main, Salad, Seafood, Vegetables
Although I’m off my close observance of the Great Lent, I promised myself to eat moderately, choose lighter meals and try (try) to avoid eating meat.
Many of you are witnessing the first signs of Spring…blossoming trees, green grass, wild greens growing, Morel mushrooms soon will be in season. I have yet to see any of these harbingers but I do witness birds hinting Spring is near.
I caught them doing the nasty and just look at their faces! What do you think they are saying? They have the look of just being caught…BUSTED!!!
Enough of bird talk, it’s all about the food here. Spring is here and I still can’t barbecue (and no I’m not shoveling the 1 1/2 metre snowbank in front of my grill).
One of my favourite seafoods is squid, aka. calamari. I enjoy calamari grilled the most but I don’t have that luxury.
The next best thing to do is to poach your squid. All it needs is 5 minutes in simmering water and it’s cooked.
Pick your favourite greens (arugula, watercress, mache, spinach, dandelions), make a simple vinaigrette, toss in a fruit of choice. I found some decent pomegranates at the market and I though the pretty red jewels would look great on this salad.
This salad, along with some bread, a dip and maybe a simple pasta will satisfy any person currently observing Lent.
Marinated Calamari Salad (ΜαÏιναÏισμενα καλαμαÏια σαλατα)
(for 4)
1 lb. of fresh or frozen calamari, cleaned and body cut into rings
1/2 lemon water
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp. dry oregano
1/3 cup jarred red pepper, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. sunflower oil
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. honey
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
- Take your cleaned calamari and place in a medium sized pot. Fill it up with water until the squid is submerged. Add the lemon, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove from the heat and allow the squid to poach in the residual heat for 5 minutes. Drain the water with a strainer and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Discard the lemon.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add your calamari and the remaining ingredients and toss to amalgamate. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours for the ingredients to marry.
- Make your vinaigrette by adding all the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar, seal and shake vigorously to emulsify.Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve on a bed of your favourite or seasonal greens
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
© 2008 – 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
Peter, love the bird shot – they look soooo busted ;)
It’s a beautiful salad – I only starting enjoying squid about a year ago – and have yet to cook with it! No doubt the results will thoroughly documented when I do though!
LOL! Only you! That pic of the birds is too funny! That dressing sounds great for the calamari Peter.
I agree, it is a beautiful dish and I love calamari, too. But since I am the only one who enjoys the gems of the sea they seldom make it into the food budget :(
At least I can look at your pretty pictures and imagine I am eating it.
And those birds! Geezzz! Get a private cage! :-p
I can’t believe you just put bird pron on your blog!!!LOL. We were leaving to school this morning and 2 black birds were doing it in our yard. The kids thought they were hurting each other but I told them no they were just hugging!
Salad looks great. I need to get over my fear of cooking with squid and octopus!
Calamari salad is a beautiful thing!
Shame on you posting the most private act of two lovers. lol
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
Excuse my ignorance, but I do not know pomegranate molasses even though I use pomegranates from time to time.
The squid makes my mouth water, but for now, I had enough salads – I’m off to go and hibernate with stews and braises and such.(Will bookmark the salad for next season, thx)
That is a lovely looking salad! One of our Good Friday staples is calamari salad. I love it!
I can’t stop chuckling over the expressions on those birds’ faces. :D
That sounds delicious and light!
Those birds need to get a room, for cryin’ out loud! Where’s the bottle of Boone’s Farm and Kama Sutra oil??
And after the bird porn, you show me the food porn. Spectacular salad. Peter, you are shameless.
For a moment there, I thought you cooked the cute birds. Ouf!
I love calamari although sometimes some restaurantw abuse it with too much coating or bad oils.
I can’t believe you intruded on their privacy by taking a picture of their *special act*. I bet they’re dying of shame.
Love the sound of the pomegranite dressing – it sounds fab with your lemony calamari.
You’re the dirty birdy!
I love your squids. They look seemply deleecious!
Kittie, start simple…fry some calamari rings and ask me if you need any help with squid.
Pete, they (the birds) are my own scandalous pair!
Ben, they are worth buying just for yourself!
Judy, what can I say…Spring is in the air…it was between posting the birds or the teen couple in the school parking lot!
Pixie, I’m now blushing.
Nina, yes we have opposite food seasons…take notes for next summer.
Sticky, thanks…it’s one of fave seafoods.
Jessy, this salad was a meal.
Catherine, it’s XXX food all the way!
Despoina, I couldn’t cook my birdies.
Annmarie, they have no shame…they care not who’s in the room.
Heather, why thank you ma’am. ;)
Were you just watching the birds with camera ready ;-)
I thiuunk everyday you are having delicious food.
Everytime when i come here there is special food served up here
this is a great way to serve up calamari – makes a change from fried squid rings. pity you didn’t tell me about it before i stewed mine!
A true Greek – from watching the birds doin’ the nasty, to making a scrumptious calamari salad. Love it!
OMG… I don’t know if I should laugh or throw up! But the expression on the ‘bottom’ if PRICELESS! Did you just happen to have your camera right there at the time? – amy @ http://www.weareneverfull.com
Hi Peter,
I wanted to make a fish salad tomorrow for my husband..I use the frozen mixed seafood, do you think that this dressing would work? Or do you have a recipe that you use?
(I don’t want to call my mother-in-law for her recipe!)
Thanks and Happy Easter…
Kim
Love that calamari salad.
Watching the birds “do it” is just plain wrong ;)
Ha! That bird shot was priceless! The salad looks good too. Nice to hear you are at least going to try to stay away from meat for the next little while. Trust me, you”ll feel better.
Well, I think they are sweet. The world needs more love. And speaking of love, I’d love to sink my teeth into that salad!
I still haven’t tried cooking calamari at home. I will have to get around to it. That salad looks nice and fresh and the pomegranate vinaigrette sounds pretty tasty.
I’ve just discovered your delicious blog. Each dish is reallly spectacular. For now I’ll start to “steal” this inviting calalmari salad. It’s really to die for.
Your bird picture is hilarious!!
And then I see the calamari!! Mama mia!!!
Kim, this marinade would work perfectly well, in my opinion…Happy Easter!
Just looking at that salad makes me feel a little springy (and like you, we’re still living with snow) and I love poached calamari, so think I need to try this one.
Peter, I knew you were a trend setter but birdie porn??? I think there’s a song about that …:)
The salad is so up my alley, fresh, clean, uncomplicated.
haha thats a very naughty pic indeed :)
and the calamari looks delicious!
I love calamari and that salad looks so delicious. It is the sort of ingredient that makes something really decadent. So satisfying.
That picture is so funny! Busted indeed! Perhaps they are annoyed at you for disturbing their fun!
Happy, food is a necessity, why not make it fun and delish?
Maria, still plenty of days left in Lent.
Toni, they were makin’ sweet love…to Barry White! lol
Amy, it was easy taking the pick…their sessions go for a couple of minutes.
Maryann, the DVD is in the mail.;)
Sam, I said try but I’ve slipped a few times.
Ferdzy, they are a miracle of nature.
Kevin, it’s an easy ingredient to work with.
Imma, welcome…please do “steal”, it’s all about sharing.
Marie, hilarious? They take their “moments” seriously!
Laurie, poaching is a another great way to cook squid, you’ll love it.
Giz, I’m giving people what they want…food, sex!
Nags, priceless photo.
Helen, squid is simply delicious.
The salad looks delicious Peter. Too bad about having to shovel a path to your BBQ..that is a real bummer for all my friends and family in Ontario….and I think the birds look like they are saying, “Can we have a moment here”…ha!
Bird porn? What the heck?!! LOL
Paul
I have to say, the calamari photo lined up with the bird photo in my bloglines screen and I was worried that it wasn’t calamari in that salad ;-). And, yes, they are SO busted!
oops..I didn’t wish you and your family a Happy Easter!
Buona Pasqua, Peter! :)
I can’t believe you’ve exposed those poor birds!
I’d love to have some of that salad.
Val, I have a feeling the BBQ is breaking out this week.
Paul, thanks for that cheesecake recipe…best I never had! lol
Lia, I just had to share the photo…aren’t they a cute pair?
Maryann, is it April 27th yet???
Cynthia, no worries as they are show-offs!
this salad looks really good.
i like the addition of pomegranate and pomegranate molasses. thye further enrich an already mouthwatering concept.
another gem from your fab blog!
Dirty dirty birds!
That picture distracted me from your delicious looking salad.
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
rofl, that is quite the action shot!
That salad looks great, it’s bursting in color and I’m sure the flavors live up to the colors.
Great job, that looks delicious!
Look a los Pajaritos!!! Having some fun♥
Lovely salad, Peter!
[...] Marinated Calamari Salad [...]
[...] Marinated Calamari Salad [...]