Best Grilled Calamari With Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Recipes

CALAMARI WITH TOMATOES, CAPER BERRIES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, wine, water, chile, basil, orange zest, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer gently until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a kitchen mallet, pound both sides of calamari bodies a few times to tenderize, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rings. (Leave tentacles whole, or halve if large.)
• Add calamari and caper berries to sauce. Cook until calamari are opaque, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in another skillet. Rub bread with garlic clove. Add clove to oil, and cook 2 minutes. Add bread, and fry, flipping once, until golden and crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Put 1 slice of bread into each serving bowl, and top with calamari and sauce. Season with pepper. Drizzle with oil if desired, and garnish with basil.

GRILLED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Cut the squid bodies along the sides to open flat. With a thin sharp knife, lightly score the insides, being careful not to cut through all the way.
• In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add the squid bodies and tentacles, toss to coat, and marinate for 2 hours, refrigerated, turning twice.
• Preheat the grill to high heat.
• Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.
• With a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of the sliced bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the bread on the hot grill and cook until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Arrange on a large platter.
• Grill the squid, turning until opaque, slightly golden, and just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the squid to a cutting board and slice into strips. Slice the tentacles if desired.
• Place the squid on top of the grilled bread and top with the chopped olives. Arrange potatoes decoratively around squid. Lightly drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil as desired, sprinkle with Essence and parsley, and serve with the lemon wedges on the side.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

CHARCOAL GRILLED SHRIMP AND CALAMARI WITH GRILLED LEMONS AND SMOKED TOMATO-BLACK OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• For the relish: Soak the hickory chips in water for at least 1 hour.
• Put a handful of hot coals in the bottom of a smoker. Scatter the hickory chips over the top. Put a try of ice on the bottom grate. Put the cooking grate above the ice tray. Once the temperature of the smoker reaches 100 degrees F, brush the tomatoes with canola oil, season with salt and pepper and put them on the top grate. Close the smoker and smoke the tomatoes for 10 to 20 minutes, depending how smoky you want them.
• Coarsely chop the tomatoes, place in a bowl and add the olive oil, olives, dill, lemon juice, parsley, vinegar, honey, onions and season with salt and pepper. Let the relish sit at room temperature until ready to use.
• For the seafood: Prepare a charcoal grill at least 30 minutes before cooking by lighting a chimney starter filled with hard wood and let burn until covered with gray ash.
• Toss the shrimp and calamari with the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic and let marinate for 15 minutes. Brush the cut side of each lemon half with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Skewer the shrimp and kalamari tentacles onto different skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp for about 2 minutes per side and the calamari tentacles for about 30 seconds per side. Put the calamari bodies directly on the grill and cook for about 15 seconds per side. Grill the lemons, cut-side down, until slightly charred. Remove to a platter.
• Arrange the skewers and bodies on a large platter. Top with the relish. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top and squeeze a grilled lemon half over all. Garnish the platter with the remaining grilled lemons.

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH CHARRED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
• Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a large platter and set aside. Pat the skin of the halibut dry with a paper towel and then brush the fillets all over with olive oil. Season the flesh generously with salt and pepper.
• Oil the grill grates and put the cherry tomatoes and fish skin-side down on the grill. Cover and let cook until the tomatoes are charred and starting to split, about 5 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes and the heat from your grill. Cook the halibut until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the fish skin-side down to the platter with the sliced tomatoes.
• Put the cherry tomatoes in a blender, discarding the vine, and add the olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Blend until smooth, then stir in half the chives and basil. Spoon the tomato vinaigrette over the fish and tomatoes. Drizzle everything with some more olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining chives and basil. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt.

TOMATO-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Shake all of the ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid (or mix in food processor as described above).
• The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature then shake vigorously to recombine before using.

TOMATO-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Blend first 6 ingredients and 1/2 cup oil in processor or blender. With machine running, add remaining 1/2 cup oil; process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

GRILLED CALAMARI WITH TOMATO-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE MARINADE: In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place the cleaned squid in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: In a food processor combine the tomato, basil, vinegar, garlic, pepper, and salt and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated. Remove the squid from the bag and discard the marinade. Season with salt. Grill over Direct High heat until just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Place in a medium bowl and add as much of the vinaigrette as desired. Toss to coat the squid evenly. Serve warm.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.