Chargrilled squid | Seafood recipes | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to cook squid on barbecue jamie oliver? ›

In a screaming hot griddle pan or on a barbecue, cook each piece for about 1 minute per side – with no oil or seasoning – until lightly charred and starting to curl. Start with the cut side when you do the tubes, and keep the squid moving for even cooking.

This is all about intense direct heat: The hotter the grill, the faster it will drive off surface moisture and sear the squid, all before the squid loses its tender texture.

From deep-fried calamari to stuffed squid or even a slow-cooked squid bolognese, there are many ways to enjoy this cephalopod. The trick with squid is to either cook it very quickly at a high temperature or very slowly at a low temperature – dither in between and you run the danger of ending up with a rubbery texture.

Dairy products like yoghurt and milk are the best natural tenderisers. Cut your squid into rings and place with the tentacles in a large mixing bowl. Cover with milk and then cling film and place in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.

Most seafoods if you cook it too long, they tend to be rubbery. In other to get it right, you can pre-cook it slightly. For instance, if you cook shrimp, squid or octopus, you boil them in hot water for few seconds (about 20 seconds to 30 seconds or so).

I learned this trick from my mum, she would gut the whole squid into rings and then marinate in a combination of kiwi fruit, milk and garlic. The kiwi fruit contains enzymes that break down the collagen in meat/seafood therefore making it more tender and the calcium in the milk acts in the same way.

When it comes to cooking squid, Julie uses one of two methods: either a quick pan-fry on high heat, or a slow braise on low heat. "There's no in-between," she says. "When your squid is cooked, it turns opaque, a milky creamy colour."

Cooking Tips

Squid must be cooked for either a very short time or a very long time. Anything in between turns it very rubbery. Two minutes over high heat is plenty. Beyond that will require at least 30 minutes to an hour to re-tenderize it.

I've eaten a lot of squid, many that I've caught myself; and the legs in general are much sweeter and tastier than the hood or “body” I haven't found the tentacles to be any tougher than the other arms, but in smaller squid the flattened ends of the tentacles, the “capture pads” are particularly delicious.

What goes well with squid? ›

Cut the squid open, and scrape any more innards out and discard. Cut into slices, or score the squid and cut into pieces. You can now cook the squid. Frying is a popular method - squid pieces just need to be cooked for 30-40 seconds on a very high heat.

Although the dark, spotty skin of the squid is edible, most cooks choose to remove it for a more appealing presentation. The skin will easily separate from the flesh to be peeled away. Once you have the skin removed, thoroughly wash the inside of the squid body tube, using your finger to pull out any residual innards.

Here is one of the biggest tips for today's fried calamari recipe: tenderize your squid rings by soaking them in salted milk and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will help tenderize the calamari while taming the fishy smell! It also helps the flour coating to stick to the meat of the squid.