Best Calamari Chile And Watermelon Salad Recipes

WATERMELON-BERRY SALAD WITH CHILE DRESSING AND LOTS OF HERBS

Watermelon-Berry Salad With Chile Dressing and Lots of Herbs image

The Thai-inspired dressing-tart and spicy and salty-plays up the sweetness of watermelon and berries while keeping the fruit salad ﬁrmly in savory territory.

Provided by Gregory Gourdet

Categories HarperCollins Lunch Side Salad Dinner Watermelon Berry Herb Spice Pepper Chile Pepper Soy Free Tree Nut Free Dairy Free Peanut Free Wheat/Gluten-Free

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

For the dressing:
⅓ cup lime juice (from about 3 juicy limes)
⅓ cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons thinly sliced cilantro stems
3 tablespoons finely chopped palm sugar or coconut sugar
½-inch knob fresh galangal, peeled and roughly sliced against the grain
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 small moderately hot fresh red chile, such as Fresno or ripe red jalapeño, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 fresh red Thai chile, stemmed
For the salad:
2 pounds peeled watermelon
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
6 cups mixed berries, halved if large
2 large lemongrass stalks trimmed, bruised, then very thinly sliced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 big handfuls very lightly packed mixed herbs, such as mint leaves, Thai or Italian basil leaves, and small cilantro sprigs

Steps:

Make the dressing:
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake well before using.
Make the salad:
Cut the watermelon into 3 x 1 x 1-inch sticks, flicking out seeds as you go. You will have about 6 cups. Chill the watermelon in the fridge for at least an hour.
Combine the chilled watermelon and onion in a large mixing bowl and season all over with the flaky salt. Add the berries, lemongrass, and dressing, then toss gently but well. Drizzle on the olive oil, add the herbs, and gently toss once more. Transfer to a platter to serve.

WARM CALAMARI SALAD

Warm Calamari Salad image

I didn't get the char I wanted on the calamari, but I still enjoyed a flavorful, healthy lunch. The good news, however, was that I ate the leftovers cold, tossed with the same salad ingredients, and it was actually better. So, if you are planning on doing the same recipe as shown, I would suggest serving it chilled instead.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Salad Seafood Salad Recipes

Time 17m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 pound cleaned calamari (tubes and tentacles)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus a pinch for garnish
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1 (15 ounce) can cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

Cut calamari tubes into 1/4-inch rings. Cut larger tentacle pieces in half. Place calamari in a bowl. Add oil, red pepper flakes, chipotle powder, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, jalapeno slices, and salt. Mix together thoroughly.
Place arugula and beans in separate bowl. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Divide among 4 servings bowls.
Heat cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add calamari to skillet; cook and stir until calamari loses its translucency, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
Spoon calamari over arugula and beans. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with a pinch of pepper flakes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 479.9 calories, Carbohydrate 32.7 g, Cholesterol 230.1 mg, Fat 28.6 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 24.3 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 801.2 mg, Sugar 2.3 g