Grilled Calamari for the Summer

Nothing says summer more than firing up the grill and cooking some great food for family and friends. Hamburgers and hotdogs are barbeque staples, but what about calamari? It’s a simple appetizer to prepare, and don’t feel intimidated if you haven’t cooked it before.

According to Serious Eats, follow these two tips to cook up tender calamari on the grill:

  1. Thoroughly pat the squid dry to remove as much surface moisture as possible. Rub the squid with oil to prevent it from sticking to the grill.
  2. Cook the squid over blazingly hot coals. The hotter the grill, the faster it will drive off surface moisture and sear the squid.

Squid can be tricky to cook because it’s either cooked for a few minutes to stay tender or it’s slow-cooked for a longer period of time to return back to tenderness. Anything in between will leave you with chewy squid.

grilled calamari recipe | the town dock calamari | rhode islandDon’t fear if you’re a rookie at cooking squid – here’s a basic grilled calamari recipe!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound squid (calamari), tubes only
  • Salt and pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • Few sprigs fresh parsley, finely minced
  • Bamboo skewers, soaked

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat grill. Wash squid, pat dry with paper towel. Cut squid into 2-inch tubes and thread onto bamboo skewer. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill over medium-high heat for 4 minutes each side or until edges slightly charred.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over cooked calamari, squeeze lime over and top with parsley

Recipe and photo courtesy of steamykitchen.com/18274-grilled-calamari-recipe.html

 


 

Looking to pair your calamari with wine or beer at the barbecue? 

Wine

A dry Riesling pairs well with calamari seasoned with lime or lemon, and it works with a spicy dipping sauce, too. Fried calamari goes well with sparkling wine because the wine’s citrusy flavors cleanse the mouth of oily foods. An oaky Chardonnay works with buttery, grilled calamari, while Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio go great with calamari if it’s part of a hors d’oeuvres selection. The Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and citrusy, and the Pinot Grigio is light with a crisp citrus component.

Beer

Fried calamari pairs well with a Pilsner because the light and dry finish of the Pilsner is a great match for the light and crispy calamari. Having battered and deep fried calamari? Try an IPA beer because the citrus flavors cut through grease and bring out the flavors of the squid.

 


 

Summer officially starts on June 21. Celebrate the way Rhode Islanders do with the state’s official appetizer of calamari!