Freshly prepared squid, dissected and cleaned. Scored and sliced into strips, coated in a flour and smoked paprika mix, ready for deep frying until golden and crisp. Served with a refreshing pickled cucumber side dish, and a lemon, paprika and yogurt dip.

Ingredients

2 x medium whole sized squid

Pickled Cucumber Ingredients

  • 1/4 x cucumber
  • table salt to sprinkle
  • Sushi vinegar (to coat cucumber slices)

Method

  1. Split the cucumber in half lengthways. Scrape out the seeds with a tablespoon. Keep the seed mix refrigerated in an airtight jar, to use in a smoothie or juice for next time.
  2. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on top of the cucumber and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes.
  3. Wash the salt off the cucumber and thinly slice into strips.
  4. Place the cucumber strips into a side dish and pour over sushi vinegar on top, until covered evenly.

Flour Mix Ingredients

  • 100g x plain flour
  • 2 x tbsp smoked paprika
  • sea salt to season

Method

  1. Mix all of the above dry ingredients together, until well combined.

Lemon Dip Ingredients

  • 4 x tbsp low fat natural yogurt
  • 1 x large wedge of lemon juice squeezed
  • lemon zest
  • 1 x tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. Mix all the above ingredients together, to taste.

Squid Preparation

Step 1

  • Remove the head from the body by grasping the squid tentacles in one hand and the head in the other. Twist and slowly pull them apart.

Step 2

  • Remove the cartilage from the head of the squid, which appears like a thin, clear plastic shard piece.

Step 3

  • Wash both the squid head and tentacles out throughly in cold water. With your fingers, peel back and remove the membrane – spotted, purple skin part, which is easier to do in the sink, under running water. Although, the membrane is edible, this part is just for presentation purposes, to make it more appealing.

Step 4

  • Place a sharp knife underneath the eyes of the squid and cut straight down.

Step 5

  • In the centre of the tentacles, remove the beak from the middle, by squeezing the connective tissue at the top, which will push the beak out more easily. At the same time with your fingertips, remove the beak by pulling it out. It is the bony part and is inedible. This part connects to the head of the squid.
  • Leave the tentacles whole. Set aside.

Step 6

  • Cut the squid bodies lengthways down the middle and open flat. Slice in half once again.

Step 6

  • Slice off the squid wings

Step 7

  • Score the squid by running your knife blade over the squid bodies, making straight incisions/cuts width and lengthways. Then slice the squid into 1cm strips.

Frying the squid

  1. Preheat the hob to a high heat setting. Pour a large quantity of vegetable oil into a small/deep frying pan and heat to 180°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can always test the temperature with one small strip of squid coated in flour, it should begin to bubble – which is what I normally do.
  2. Place a few sheets of kitchen roll on a board or tray.
  3. Mix small amounts of the squid into the flour mix and coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour.
  4. Place a few of the squid strips and the tentacles into the heated oil. Do this in small batches, to not overload the pan. Fry for roughly 1-2 mins until golden and crisp. Place the cooked strips onto the kitchen roll, to absorb any excess oil.
  5. Add the cooked squid to a large mixing bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
  6. Serve with the lemon dip and pickled cucumber. Garnish with lemon wedges.