When I wanted to make the spicy Thai salad with squid a few months ago, I ordered an extra pound of squid. I can always enjoy a squid dish! The spicy Thai salad was superb, shown below left. I’ve also made a Nigella recipe for pasta with squid, below right. I just love squid!

This squid recipe I discovered on the website Delia Online. I’d never heard of Delia and I couldn’t figure out her last name until I googled her on Amazon, assuming she might have written a cookbook or two. I stopped counting at ten. Her name is Delia Smith and she’s in the UK. She has on online cookery school that can be accessed through her website if you’re interested.

Upon reading more about Delia Smith online, she is supposedly one of the best known celebrity chefs in British popular culture. Interesting. And I’ve only discovered Rick Stein in the last decade. I’m behind. Probably the “bad boys” like Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay get more publicity!

Regarding this squid recipe, she writes: “Close your eyes when you eat your first mouthful of this one and in your mind you’ll be right there on some lovely Greek island – it’s one of those very simple things that also tastes extremely special.”

Well after making this recipe, I have to agree with her, although Greece is still on our bucket list. I wish I’d purchased four pounds of squid instead of one!

This recipe is perfect for spring or summer, but I can also see it as a taste of freshness in the winter.

Greek-Style Squid

1 pound small squid, cleaned and ready-prepared
Juice of 1 large lemon
3 ounces olive oil, preferably Greek
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Lemon wedges to squeeze over

To prepare the squid for cooking, I’ve highlighted a tutorial of mine in the ingredient list. It’s kind of a pain, but so worth it!

Rinse off the squid under running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place them in a shallow dish. Squeeze the lemon juice over, toss and leave it for 5 minutes, when it will have absorbed most of the juice. Drain the squid through a colander and shake to remove excess liquid.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and lemon zest, cooking very slowly as it comes up to heat.

When it is really hot add the squid and fry it in the hot oil, keeping it on the move so it just slightly takes on color at the edges – it will only take about 1-2 minutes to cook.

Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it straight away from the pan, with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

This is particularly good served with a green salad and some warm pitta bread to dip into the luscious juices.

I think the squid would also be really good with a light amount of pasta.