Spiced za'atar squid with tomato salsa

This dish comes from The Palestine.  It makes an excellent starter but also can be an excellent meze dish – or even a supper dish.

The salsa part of this dish can be prepared a day in advance, meaning that the dish can be cooked in just a few minutes before serving.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 2 Mins

Total Time: 20 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

½ kgs              Squid  - medium      

50 gms            Cornflour   

2 tsp               Coriander  - ground   

2 tsp               Cumin  - ground       

1 tsp               Allspice  - ground     

3 tbs               Za'atar      

1 tsp               Salt  - flakes

250 ml             Olive oil     

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black  

For the salsa

2                    Tomatoes  - chopped roughly   

1½ tbs            Lemon juice            

1 tbs               Olive oil     

1                    Chilli  - green - chopped roughly

5 gms              Coriander  - chopped roughly    

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black  

1 pinch            Salt          

To serve

1                    Lemon  - quartered   

Method

To make the tomato salsa

Put all the salsa ingredients in a food processor with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Blitz for just 10 seconds so it still slightly chunky.  Transfer to a bowl and keep until ready to serve.

To prepare and cook the squid…

Slice through each squid tube lengthways to create two rectangular halves.  Lightly score the outside of each half to make a criss-cross pattern with the lines spaced about ½ cm apart.  Once scored, cut the squid into long vertical strips, each about 2 cm wide, and place in a bowl.  Cut the tentacles in half, or leave them whole if they’re not too large and add them to the bowl as well.  Pat the squid dry with a paper towel.

Put the cornflour, coriander, cumin and allspice into a large bowl.  Mix to combine, then set aside.

In a separate large bowl (big enough to hold all the squid once cooked), combine the za’atar and sea salt flakes.

Just before serving, put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium- high heat.  While the oil is heating up, add half the squid to the cornflour mixture and toss well to combine.  Shake off the excess and, once the oil is hot, carefully lower in the squid and cook for 1-2 minutes - or until golden brown and just cooked through.  Sprinkle with black pepper.  Transfer it to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside while continuing with the remaining batch.

Once all the squid is cooked, put it into the bowl of za’atar salt and toss well to coat.  Serve at once, with a wedge of lemon and the tomato salsa alongside.

Wine recommendations

An aromatic white wine.

Conventional

     Picpoul de Pinet

Interesting

     Entre-deux-Mers

     Graves blanc

     Lirac blanc

     Menetou-Salon