There is nothing quite like calamari straight off the barbecue – slightly charred, tender, dressed with olive oil and lemon. It's one of the great simple pleasures of seafood cooking. The key is high heat and speed – calamari goes from perfect to rubbery in moments, so you need to be ready to move quickly and serve immediately.
This is the dish we make every summer without fail. It disappears faster than anything else on the table.
Barbecued Calamari
Serves 4 as a starter
You'll need
- 600 g calamari tubes and tentacles, cleaned
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- small handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
How to make it
Score the calamari tubes in a crosshatch pattern (this helps them cook evenly and curl beautifully). Combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and oregano in a bowl. Add the calamari and toss to coat. Season with salt flakes and pepper. Leave to marinate for 15–30 minutes.
Heat the barbecue to very high. Cook the calamari tubes for 1–2 minutes each side and the tentacles for 2–3 minutes, tossing regularly, until charred and just cooked through. Do not overcook.
Transfer immediately to a serving plate. Drizzle with extra olive oil, scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges alongside.
This recipe is from The Fishmonger's Son Cookbook — available in-store at 781 Nicholson Street, Carlton North — come and say hello.