Normally, I’m a very clear delineator of tasks when it comes to fish and fishing. I cast about with the line, hopefully hitting the water now and then, and I use every ounce of feminine guile to get someone else . . . most often male . . . most often Dan F . . . to do the other stuff. Mess with the squirmy worms. Untangle lines from branches (“woops . . . hee hee”). And to gut the suckers once I reel ‘em in so that I can pick back up in the kitchen (or around the campfire) with nice, pristine filets. 

So you can understand why it is with great pride that I tell you about my exploits in the kitchen last night. We had a cheerful reunion with Dave-the-Fish-Guy at the farmers’ market on Saturday (our first visit of the season) and couldn’t pass up a sack of locally-caught squid. A stop by Yael’s stand for some leggy wild arugula and I had the makings of something special.

But I have to admit carrying an incongruous mix of anticipation and dread throughout the weekend as I envisioned the charred squid salad to be. I’d eye the grilled chile calamari that I was using as my template from the River Cafe Cookbook and my mouth would water. Then I’d flip the page to the spread showing how to clean a squid—awash with inky black and slimy, slippery, squishy stuff—and instantly revert to squeamishness.

But I prevailed. I cleaned and de-beaked and untangled tentacles and flattened and crosshatched eight squid. All on my own. On a weeknight no less. With Christopher looking over my shoulder playing sanitation patrol (did I mention he’s a fanatic when it comes to raw poultry and seafood?). And  we were rewarded with a delicious dish of smoky grilled squid with a slow hit of heat atop a mix of wild arugula, shaved sweet onion and creamy cannellini beans.

Definitely worth it. And you’re welcome for posting the photo of the salad instead of the one with the gory stuff. Hee hee.

{  A Very, Very Rough Recipe for Grilled Squid Salad with Arugula and White Beans  }

I’m going to leave you to find your own way with regards to cleaning and preparing the squid. I will tell you I crosshatched the flattened body. Then I marinated the squid in about a tablespoon each of minced garlic and jalapeno, scooting a bit of both into a jar for a salad dressing before adding the rest to the bowl with the squid. Into the marinade went about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and the zest of a lemon. Into the dressing went the same amount of olive oil and the juice of the lemon. Then I coated the squid with the marinade and shook the jar to mix the dressing.

While the grill was heating (hot, hot, hot), I tossed the wild arugula with a can of cannellini beans, a few chopped Kalamata olives, about 1/4 cup shaved sweet onion, and the dressing.

The squid I grilled on one of those grill pans with holes in them so that things won’t fall through the grates, for about 2–3 minutes per side. Then I plated the salad and topped it with the squid. Delish, I tell you.

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A Wine to Try: Christopher played “guess the varietal” last night and I’m proud to say I got it right! Well, sort of. I said I thought it was either a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio and it was a Pinot Grigio. But that still counts, doesn’t it? It was Clos du Bois’ 2006 Pinot Grigio and it had a bright acidity and serious citrus leanings (I kept getting lemon zest) that went beautifully with this salad. I’m pretty sure they’re out of the 2006 now (although I could be wrong), but I’d bet the 2007 shows similarly.