GRILLED CALAMARI with SALSA VERDE

Squid can be a misunderstood creature – too often it’s overcooked and rubbery, which is less than appealing. But if it’s super-fresh and cooked quickly over a very high heat, it’s sweet and tender. I sometimes catch it in the bay near home, and this is my favourite way to cook it. I love to serve this tangy salsa verde alongside as it has a subtle brininess that works perfectly with the calamari.

Preparation Time 10 minutes | Cooking Time 2 minutes | Serves 4

2 large squid (calamari) (about 250 g/ 9 oz each), cleaned

2 tablespoons olive oil

Lemon wedges, to serve

SALSA VERDE

30 g (1 oz/2 cups) flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves(2 bunches)

200 ml (7 fl oz) olive oil

2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed and drained

4 cornichons

2 anchovies

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

To make the salsa verde, combine the ingredients in a blender, season to taste and blitz for a minute or two until very smooth, then check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

To prepare the calamari, heat a chargrill pan or barbecue to a high heat. Score the inside of the calamari with a sharp knife in a crisscross pattern and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl, season and toss with olive oil. Grill for a minute on each side until golden brown and just cooked through, then serve drizzled with the salsa verde with lemon wedges to squeeze over.