Best for: A two-minute cook for squid lovers — and a conversion dish for everyone else.
Grilled calamari is the Mediterranean answer to the fried ring: whole tubes and tentacles kissed by high heat for barely two minutes, then dressed warm with lemon, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Cooked fast, squid is tender; the grill just has to be truly hot.
Grill: Direct highest heat; 550°F or as hot as the grill goes, in a perforated grill pan or basket. Equipment: Grill, grill basket or perforated pan, bowl, tongs.
Ingredients
Total: 16 minutes.
Calamari
- 1 1/2 lb cleaned squid, tubes and tentacles, patted very dry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Directions
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. Score the squid tubes lightly in a crosshatch on one side so they curl and char.
Toss the squid with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Heat the grill to its highest setting with the basket or perforated pan on the grate until it is smoking hot.
Add the squid in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Toss once and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the tubes curl, char at the edges, and turn opaque (145°F).
Tip the calamari straight into the bowl of dressing while it is still sizzling.
Toss, pile onto a warm platter, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and grilled bread.
Grilling tip: Dry squid, a screaming-hot pan, and two minutes — squid cooked past opaque turns to rubber bands in about ninety seconds more.
