Grilled Squid with Spicy, Garlicky White Beans and Vinegared Tomatoes by Alison Roman

I had a dream. That I’d cook all ten of Alison’s recipes intending for grilling with an actual grill. I got so close -- I made it to eight out of ten. Until recently, we lived a short drive away from my in-law’s who graciously let me use their grill for these recipes. I fed them great food, so why wouldn’t they? Then, three weeks ago now, we moved to Chicago. A city I love with all my heart, though it lacks many of the people I love in it. And once again, I’ve found myself grill-less. The last two grilling recipes -- this squid and the shrimp I posted over the weekend -- had to be cooked in a skillet on my stove, which, though a fine substitute, did not deliver the same flavor or texture that a grill could accomplish. If you make either of these recipes, do yourself a favor and find a grill. Even if that means a community grill at your local park. But bring a grill pan. Shrimp and squid will most definitely fall through the cracks! 

The flavors in this dish are right up my alley -- vinegary, a tinge of spicy heat, and the right balance of acid and creaminess between the tomatoes and beans. I got home from my commute around 6:10pm, and we were ready to eat by 6:40pm! This is a quick, satisfying, don’t-need-another-side-dish, kind of meal that’s perfect for a summer night after work. 

One of the very first recipes I cooked for this blog was Alison’s Spicy Garlicky White Beans. That was eight months ago now, and I had forgotten how simple they are! You can read all about them in the link above. I started the beans first before moving onto the squid. 

Want to know about my prep process for squid? Read about it here. Essentially, if you’re going to use a skillet instead of a grill, the tubes should be cut into half inch pieces, and the tentacles cut in half lengthwise prior to cooking. If you use a grill, Alison recommends cutting them after cooking, which makes sense. Squid shrinks quite fast, and it could prove challenging to keep them from falling into the grates.  

In her instructions for both grilling and sauteing, she tells us to look for the squid to turn a golden brown color. I’m not sure what she means. A very pale golden tint, maybe. But golden brown? Not only do I not see my shrimp turn that color, but the picture in her book doesn’t show squid that color either! So if you too don’t see that color appear, don’t be disheartened. Give it the six to eight minutes she instructs, and then move on. 

While sauteing the shrimp in batches till “golden brown,” I sliced the tomatoes. I couldn’t find heirloom tomatoes at my TJ’s, so I used organic tomatoes on the vine instead. They were delicious. (Do your best to find tomatoes that won’t be mealy or watery. That will honestly ruin the dish.) Then I covered them in red wine vinegar, and topped them with the beans and squid.

Like I said, Jordan and I ate this as our only dish for dinner, and nearly finished the whole plate. The tomatoes paired perfectly with the beans (which pack quite the heat!), and the salty squid added the right balance of protein and chewiness. 

137 recipes cooked, 88 to go.

Pasta with Crispy Squid, Lemon, and Chile by Alison Roman

Jordan and I usually splurge on an appetizer when we go out to eat for special occasions. If fried calamari is on the menu, it’s almost a guarantee that Jordan will suggest it. 

Other than in its salty breaded form, I encountered squid at overnight science camp in the 6th grade. There, we snorkeled the reefs of Catalina Island, learned about oceanic tides and dissected a large squid, squealing when the ink sack let out a potent black liquid all over our gloves. 

When it came to shop for squid in this dish, I could only picture the tiny tentacles and thin, curled rings in a calamari dish. You know, the rings that look like miniature pool intertubes. I spoke with the fishmonger at the Whole Foods counter, and searched the frozen section at TJ’s, but couldn’t find the small rings. It’d been a long time since I’d peered at a full squid, and I had forgotten that their bodies look like a long white tube with tentacles coming out one end. Then, it finally dawned on me that those calamari rings were actually sliced squid bodies. If I bought these large tubes, I would just need to slice them myself! 

Before cooking the squid, I first split each tentacle grouping in half and thinly sliced each long body into quarter-inch pieces. I was slightly concerned that they looked flat, without that signature curled ridge. But I was quickly put at ease – as soon as the tubes touched the hot skillet, they shrank and their edges folded over the top. They resembled what I recognized as restaurant calamari. 

My confidence was bolstered now, and I quite enjoyed the rest of the cooking process. Ahead of any squid business, I thinly sliced a lemon, four cloves of garlic, and a fresno chile. This allowed me to move with ease once the pan was hot and ready for the ingredients to be added in a rather quick succession. First, the squid is fried until golden brown, then removed temporarily from the pan. Next, the lemons and garlic sizzle in some olive oil, followed by the chile and the cooked squid. The cooked pasta and some pasta water get added last, with a seasoning of salt and pepper. The ingredients need time to simmer as a light sauce thickens and the noodles become well acquainted with flavor. The final step is to top the dish with a load of fresh herbs -- I used cilantro and basil, but dill and mint would also work. 

The whole meal was both filling, flavorful, and not too heavy. The lemon and garlic add a good bit of acid to balance any overly fishy tones from the squid. The fresno chile packed way more heat than I expected, but in a good way. It’s spiciness is a lot brighter than that of red pepper flakes, or even jalapeno. For that reason, I would argue that Fresno chile is a must. It also added some nice pops of bright red color to the dish. For those who might be interested, I served this with Alison’s Blood Orange & Avocado Salad.

65 recipes cooked, 160 to go.