GRILLED SQUID, BASIL AND FRISÉE SALAD

GRILLED SQUID, BASIL AND FRISÉE SALAD image

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 1/2 pounds (about 12) cleaned squid, with tentacles
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
2 slices Italian bread (about 1/2 inch thick each), toasted and torn into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 medium head frisée, torn into bite-size pieces, cleaned and dried
2 plum tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into fine ribbons
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
4 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Steps:

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Rinse the squid inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. Combine the bread, frisée, tomatoes, shallots, basil and lemon juice in a large bowl and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Thread the squid lengthwise onto the skewers. Thread the tentacles separately. Grill the tentacles for 2 minutes and the squid bodies for 3 minutes per side. Remove the squid from the grill and let cool slightly. Remove from the skewers and slice the squid bodies into 1/4-inch rings, keeping the tentacles whole. (Avoid cutting the slices any thicker, as they take on a rubbery quality if they're too big.) Using your hands, gently drop the greens onto a plate or platter, creating an airy mound of salad. Arrange the squid over the greens, spreading the rings and tentacles out over the entire surface.